Number Of COVID-19 Patients Who Need To Be Hospitalized Is Going Up But Currently There Aren't Enough Beds

Stephanie Stahl reports.

MOVING SOME LONG TERM CARERESIDENTS JUST IN CASE.THIRTY-FOUR RESIDENTS FROM THEGOVERNOR BACON HEALTH SENTINNER DELAWARE CITY WILL BEMOVED TO THE DELAWARE HOSPITALFOR CHRONICALLY ILL IN SMYRNATO CONSOLIDATE STAFFING WHICHIS RUNNING LOW AND LIMITPOTENTIAL EXPOSURES.THERE IS NO POSITIVE CASESIN THE FACILITY BUT WE EXPECTOVERTIME THOSE WILL CONTINUETO GROW AND WE STILL NEED TOMEET NEEDS OF OUR RESIDENTS.SO BY CONSOLIDATING OUR WORKFORCE, WE HAVE A GREATERPOTENTIAL FOR CONTINUING TOMEET STAFFING NEEDS.MOVE WILL ALLOW THISFACILITY TO BE USED FOR EXTRAHOSPITAL BEDS, F NEEDED FOR ANOVERFLOW OF COVID-19 PATIENTS.WE SHOULD BE, FOR SAFETY OFOUR STAFF MEMBERS WHICH IS WHYWE ARE DOING THIS METHODICALLYAND TAKING ABSOLUTELY EVERYPRECAUTION.REPORTER: IN NEW JERSEY,INSP IRA MEDICAL SENT INNERWOODBURY IS BEING CONSIDEREDAS A SURGE SITE FORCORONAVIRUS PATIENT OVERFLOW,OFFICIALS SAY 300 BEDS HERECOULD BE RED ANY THREE TO FOURWEEKS.IN PENNSYLVANIA, IS THERESTILL IN DECISION ON THESHUTTERED HAHNEMANN HOSPITAL,BEING USED.TO HANDLE OVERFLOW PATIENTS,OR AS A QUARANTINE SITE BUT ITREPORTEDLY DOES NOT HAVE BEDSOR OTHER BASIC SUPPLIES.WE HAVE ALSO TALKED ABOUTREPURPOSING AMBULATORYSURGICAL FACILITY BEDS SINCEELECT I HAVE PROCEDURES WILLBE POSTPONED AND USE THOSEWITH HOSPITAL BEDS AND THEN WEARE EVEN LOOKING AT HOTELSTHAT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE TO HAVEFOR RECOVERY AND SUBACUTE BED.WE ARE LOOKING AT ALL OF THOSEPOSSIBILITIES.REPORTER: PENNSYLVANIASTATE OFFICIALS HAVE WAVEDRESTRICTIONS, ON BED CAPACITYSO THAT HOSPITALS WILL BE ABLETO TAKE CARE OF MORE PATIENTS,SINCE THE OUTBREAK THERE HASBEEN A 10 PERCENT INCREASE INTHE NUMBER OF COVID-19