With The Spread Of COVID-19 There Is Growing Concerns About Hospital Capacity

Stephanie Stahl reports.

STAY HOME TO SLOW DOWN THESPREAD OF THE VIRUS.WITH THE SPREAD OF THECOVID 19 THERE ARE GROWINGCONCERNS ABOUT HOSPITALCAPACITY AND EQUIPMENTSHORTAGES.HEALTH REPORTER STEPHANIESTAHL IS IN ANOTHER PART OFTHE STUDIO WITH MORE ON THESITUATION FOR SOMEPENNSYLVANIA HOSPITALS,STEPHANIE.REPORTER: PENNSYLVANIAHEALTH DEPARTMENT IS IN THEPROCESS OFFSETTING UP BIGSCREENING SITES AND THAT CULLIN THE COME FAST ENOUGH FORHOSPITALS HOFF BEEN DOINGTESTING, AND TAKING CARE OFTHE SURGE OF PATIENTS WHILESTRUGGLING WITH SHORTAGES OFPROTECTIVE GEAR.WE'RE VERY CONCERNED ABOUTTHE SAFETY OF THE PATIENTSTHAT WE HAVE AND OUREMPLOYEES.REPORTER: JACLYN SEVEN,PRESIDENT OF THE MAIN LINEHEALTH, ECHOES CONCERNS OF THEHOSPITALS AROUND THE REGION ASTHEY ARE BOMBARDED WITHPATIENTS.MANY RESORT TODD DRIVE UPTESTING TO REDUCE SPREAD OFTHE COVID 19.THEY SAY A MASS SCREENING SITELIKE WHAT HAPPENED IN NEWROCHELLE NEW YORK WOULD BE ABIG HELP.TWO ARE BEING CONSIDERED ONEIN MONTGOMERY COUNTY, OTHER INPHILADELPHIA, AT THE SPORTCOMPLEX SITE IN SOUTHPHILADELPHIA.I WOULD BE SAY MY PERSONNELAND MY SUPPLIES AND MY TESTSFROM PATIENTS THAT END UP INMY EMERGENCY ROOM.REPORTER: LYNCH SAYS THEYHAVE 40 PATIENTS HOSPITALIZEDAT LANKENAU, WRITTEN MAUR,PAOLI WITH POSITIVE ANDPRESUMED POSITIVE CASES OFCOVID 19.THEY EVER BEING CARED FOR INSPECIALIZED ROOMS TO PROTECTSTAFF AND OTHER PATIENTS BUTTHERE ARE LIMITED SUPPLIES OFPROTECTIVE EQUIPMENTESPECIALLY MASKS.WE ARE TRYING IN THE TO USETHE HIGHEST LEVEL ON EVERYSINGLE POTENTIAL RISK TOENSURE THAT WE HAVE THOSE MASSACTION VEILABLE FOR THE MORESERIOUS AND HIGHER RISKPROCEDURES AND PATIENTS.REPORTER: AS MORE HOSPITALWORKERS ARE TESTING POSITIVEWHETHER THEY ARE EXPOSEDINSIDE OF THE HOSPITAL OR THECOMMUNITY IT COULD RESULT INSTAFFING SHORTAGES, LONG WITHTHE MEDICAL SUPPLIES.TO GET THROUGHOUT BREAK IT ISESTIMATED MEDICAL WORKERS WILLNEED 3.5 MILLION N95 MEDICALMASKS.IS THERE A NATIONAL STOCKPILEOF ONLY 12 MILLION.DEPENDING ON THE SEVERITY OFTHE OUTBREAK, 200,000, TO2.9 MILLION INTENSIVE CARE BEDCOULD BE NEEDED.RIGHT NEW THERE ARE FEWER THEN65,000.CURRENTLY PHILADELPHIA AREAHOSPITALS SAY THEY ARE DOINGOKAY WITH SPACE AND STAFFINGBUT THAT COULD CHANGE IF THEREIS A SUDDEN SURGE IN THENUMBER OF PATIENT WAS SERIOUSCOMPLICATIONS AND AGAIN MOSTPEOPLE WITH COVID 19 HAVE MILD