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SLO County ICU availability drops, hospital leaders concerned

December 17, 2020

While the state reported the Southern California region is at 0% intensive care unit (ICU) availability on Thursday, San Luis Obispo County has approximately 40% ICU beds unused.

The Southern California region includes medical facilities in Imperial, Inyo, Los Angeles, Mono, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. While space can be found for patients, there is not enough trained staff to care for the increase in patents in some areas.

A letter co-signed by leaders at French Hospital Medical Center, Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center, Twin Cities Community Hospital and Arroyo Grande Community Hospital warns of the dire consequences local hospitals face because of the surge in coronavirus cases.

“Recent messaging from community leaders has gravely underestimated our local crisis,” the letter says. “We want to be clear — the dramatic increase in coronavirus hospitalizations and ICU admissions is straining your local hospitals. Some ICUs have had no available beds this week.”

During the past two days, SLO County reported 374 new coronavirus cases and four new deaths. San Luis Obispo  leads with 129 new cases, followed by Paso Robles with 68, Atascadero with 32 and Arroyo Grande with 31.

Of the 8,269 confirmed coronavirus cases in SLO County, 6,568 individuals have recovered, and 56 have died. Of those still suffering from the virus, there are 27 people in the hospital — eight in the intensive care unit, and 1,606 recuperating at home.

Cases by city:

Paso Robles — 1,936
San Luis Obispo — 1,848
Atascadero — 757
Arroyo Grande — 580
Nipomo — 574
CMC inmates, SLO County numbers — 471
Grover Beach — 305
Cal Poly residents — 256
San Miguel — 253
Templeton — 258
Oceano — 264
Los Osos — 154
Morro Bay — 140
Pismo Beach — 126
Shandon — 76
Santa Margarita — 65
Cambria — 57
Creston — 38
Cayucos — 29
Ash-patients — 26
Avila Beach — 13
San Simeon — 7
Other county cases where location has not yet been determined — 36

As of Thursday evening, there have been 1,759,876 positive cases, and 22,146 deaths in California.

Currently, more than 17,627,070 U.S. residents have tested positive for the virus, and 317,929 have died.

In addition, the number of people infected with the virus worldwide continues to increase: 75,283,503 cases with 1,668,367 dead.


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What happened to the Cal Poly medical beds is it still available


5

No ICU beds and zero staffing. More like a big scout camp.


-1

Maybe I’ve read it wrong but to me it sounds by this story at least that hospital officials are worried about something that could happen not something that is happening…the vaccine is on its way…chill out!…why does it seem the caterwauling and alarmism is getting worse the closer we get to the vaccine being available?…


0

Logic isnt alarmist. At least to most rational souls.


-3

Maybe in April for those 65 and older.

BTW, I do like the use of the term Caterwaul. It is what rural old timers used to call mountain lions, ;-) Caterwauls, how they scream when mating, chilling, creepy, unnerving, shakes you to the bone … the worst female scream you ever heard.


0

Only 9 people under the age of 65 have died in almost a year from COVID (emergencyslo.org). 9 people out of 283,111 (US Census Bureau). That is 0.0032% of the total population. This isn’t a perfect comparison of anything, but it really gives you an idea that if you aren’t an older person (and EVERY older person dies. That is 100%), your chances of dying of COVID are extremely low. To be afraid of COVID is to live an irrational existence. Giving the power to tell you who you can see socially, which businesses can stay open, where you can and can’t travel, to ONE person, is GIVING your freedom away. We are becoming slaves, in body, in mind, and in spirit. I would rather nobody ever died of COVID. Nearly everybody agrees on that. And nobody wants to die of COVID. But death is NEVER too high a price to pay for freedom. Life is empty and meaningless without freedom. Life without freedom is worse than death.


I want to reach out to people like “Paso_citizen”, who are on the extreme end of desiring government control over the lives of others, and let you know; we on the other side AGREE with you. We ALSO do not want anyone to die or suffer. But the VERY worst predictions of COVID deaths could come true, and the death toll wouldn’t even compare with the death toll racked up by communist and fascist regimes of the 20th century. We too are concerned with the death and suffering of others.


12

Wowie, you have free speech for sure and you’re exercising. But internationally, America has a bad reputation for dealing with death, mourning, therapy, love, compassion, empathy. If you havent dealt with death en mass like a veteran, spiritual figure or EMS, do you even know? Do you even know? And your local hospital wont take you in pretty soon, about 14 days from now well have ZERO capacity.


-9

You compare dining outside, wearing facemasks, socially distancing and washing hands with the “communist and fascist regimes of the 20th century”, REALLY? I’ve know three holocaust survivors in my life, one a very close friend who I dearly miss, respectfully, you don’t know what you are talking about.

Hyper ideologs are owned by the ideology they oppose. For example, there is no one more devoted than a god hater, or more incarcerated than a freedom paranoid. We are owned by what we vehemently oppose.


-8

Wow. How crass can one be? What religion do you follow? Certainly not “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”


-8

I don’t understand where 40% comes from. There are 53 ICU beds and 8 are being used. That means 85% are available.


25

No, you’re wrong, read the news. We will have 0 capacity in less than a month if this keeps up. Ie, tent hospitals and ambulances backed up, pwopl5 dying in waiting rooms. Conspiracy? NOPE, you’ll deny until you loose someone, get ready for fate, if you havent, I pity you so much, so so much


-15

Because ICU beds are reserved for more than just COVID patients. The beds are needed for other medical emergencies that require intensive care. The percentage takes that into account.


6

These folks are losing their minds now. EVERYONE knows this is serious. Because there are different opinions and reactions doesn’t mean that some folks are more virtuous than others. The panic induction helps NOTHING. Does it make these types feel better? I hope not. But really people, settle down.


-13

40% ICU availability – great. Reason enough to continue to thumb our noses at the state about what actions should be take. Just keep repeating to yourself – it is just the flu – it is just the flu – no big deal – it is just the flu.


-10

40% equals the 19 beds currently available? This “SLO County coastal elitist” sure is glad our medical system isn’t socialized. Wouldn’t want that. Much rather have those nice big hospital bills (sarcasm).


-6

But it’s just the flu, right?


-3

Said John Hammon who should be on the hook for Hells Angles and Mongrels showing up here in Paso with whips representing SLAVERY protesting BLM, to denounce our first responders begging for help short staffed running out of crew, fire, ems, hospitals, to allow so much death, so much political hate and bias, so much privilege, may he suffer as we do, and well be there to help, and enlighten his pain he deserves. These are truly end times, and again, the people killed their God in vein, brainwashed by their Government False God Trump.


-23

Well, according to Anderson Cooper (CNN) that’s correct.


He said as much last Spring.


-1

Who cares about this? It’s coastal elite-ish. Let’s binge right wing media and talk about Hunter Biden. What do you say deramus?


-10

Do you mean the evidence that dissapeared when the only copy vanished when shipped across country? Hannity was so sad. Perhaps it’s time to ask for her email’s, his birth certificate, swift boat, benghazi? The last 4 years of bullshit is so full of hot air it could be used as a floatation device until it dissolves like a racoon washing cotton candy…..


50 years of trickle down economics has failed, the pandemic has made that plain that the GOP is corrupt to the core.


-6

Damn right mazin and kettle. But we are just Sheeple in the eyes of Radicalists Zealots, right. But we don’t worship false idols and Golden Calves and Golden Gods Charlie Manson style, believe me, I’m familiar with Manson in detail, “Trump” “Reagan, Bush, Obama,” or the least worst false idol “Nixon, he made the EPA”, after the Santa Barbara oil spill for those Boomers who forgot and sold out to the devil. Let those who do worship false idols and the Devil suffer the wrath of God, for forsaken his Eden with vile disregard, be it oil, gas or sin. They will be apparent, very very soon. Locally and nationally. Us sheeple have spoken of this since Janurary, our moral obligation to life forsaken, by those who proclaim pro life in the name of Satan. Rhymes huh. Ironic. Stop the steal, covid is a hoax, the devils hymn is mighty strong, and those who follow are blind, weak, let us pity them and their suffering and loss if it was our own. God bless our ancestral soil, and forgive Slo for its sins.


-17