Growing Concerns About Hospital Capacity, Equipment Shortages

Stephanie Stahl reports.

REPORTING LIVE FROM CENTERCITY, MATT PETRILLO FOR CBS-3"EYEWITNESS NEWS".WITH THE SPREAD OF THEVIRUS THERE ARE GROWINGCONCERNS, ABOUT HOSPITALCAPACITY AND EQUIPMENTSHORTAGES.HEALTH REPORTER STEPHANIESTAHL IS IN ANOTHER PART OFTHE STUDIO WITH MORE ON THESITUATION AT SOME LOCALHOSPITALS IN PENNSYLVANIA.STEPHANIE.REPORTER: UKEE THEPENNSYLVANIA HEALTH DEPARTMENTIS IN THE PROCESS OFFSETTINGUP BIG SCREENING SITES ANDTHAT COULD NOT COME FASTENOUGH FOR HOSPITALS HOFF BEENDOING TESTING AND TAKING CAREOF PATIENTS WHILE ALSOSTRUGGLING WITH SHORTAGES OFPROTECTIVE GEAR.CHOPPER THREE FOUND TENTSBEING SET UP BY PENNSYLVANIATASK FORCE ONE AT THE STADIUMSPORTS COMPLEX IN SOUTHPHILADELPHIA.THINKS EXPECT TO BE ONE OF THETWO MASS SCREENING SITES FORCOVID 19.SIMILAR TO THE SET UP IN NEWROCHELLE, NEW YORK.SECOND PENNSYLVANIA HEALTHDEPARTMENT SITE WILL BE INMONTGOMERY COUNTY.IT IS DESPERATED NEEDED BYHOSPITALS BEING BOMBARDED WITHPATIENTS, MANY HAVE RESORTTODD DRIVE THROUGH TESTING INAN EFFORT TO STOP THE SPREADOF THE COVID 19, INSIDEALREADY CROWDED HOSPITALS.I NEED TO SAVE MY PERSONNELMY SUPPLIES AND MY TESTS FORPATIENTS THAT END UP IN MYEMERGENCY ROOM AND MY URGENTCARE AND IN MY IN PATIENTBEDS.REPORTER: JACLYN MUCH,PRESIDENT OF THE MAIN LINEHEALTH, SAY THEY HAVE 40PATIENTS HOSPITALIZED,LANKENAU, WRITTEN MAUR, PAOLIWITH POSITIVE AND PRESUMEDPOSITIVE CASES OF COVID 19.THEY ARE BEING CARED FOR INSPECIALIZED ROOMS TO PRO TECHSTAFF AND OTHER PATIENTS BUTTHEY ARE LIMITED SUPPLIES OFPROTECTIVE EQUIPMENTESPECIALLY MASKS.WE ARE TRYING TO NOT USETHE HIGHEST LEVEL ON EVERYSINGLE POTENTIAL RISK TOENSURE THAT WE HAVE THOSEMASKS AVAILABLE FOR THE MORESERIOUS AND HIGHER RISKPROCEDURES AND PATIENTS.REPORTER: MEDICAL SUPPLIESARE A BIG CONCERN EVERY WHEREAS MORE HOSPITAL WORKERS ARETESTING POSITIVE, WHETHER THEYARE EXPOSED INSIDE OF THEHOSPITAL OR THE COMMUNITY ITCOULD RESULT IN STAFFINGSHORTAGES TOO.AS MORE GET SICK AND HAVEEXPOSURE WE WILL GET SIDELINEDAND THEN WHO IS THERE TO TAKECARE OF THE PATIENTS.REPORTER: HEALTH OFFICIALSARE PLEADING TO HAVE PEOPLESTAY HOME TO CONTAIN THESPREAD AND TESTING ISCURRENTLY STILL LIMITED ANDONLY FOR PEOPLE WITH SYMPTOMS