We didn’t have to have ventilator shortage — (New York) leaders chose not to prep for pandemic

New York Post ^ | March 19, 2020 | Betsy McCaughey

[11th_VA]

The novel coronavirus is causing working-age people to worry about missing paychecks, caring for kids home from school, stockpiling groceries and canceling plans. But people in their 50s, 60s or older have bigger worries. Many are lying awake wondering if this is how they are going to die.

At its most severe, the coronavirus attacks the lungs, making it impossible to breathe without a ventilator. Landing in the hospital on a ventilator is bad. But worse is being told you can’t have one.

To his credit, Gov. Andrew Cuomo is doing his best, but he admits “you can’t find available ventilators no matter how much you’re willing to pay right now, because there is literally a global run on ventilators.”

It’s a little late. Several years ago, after learning that the Empire State’s stockpile of medical equipment had 16,000 fewer ventilators than the 18,000 New Yorkers would need in a severe pandemic, state public-health leaders came to a fork in the road.

They could have chosen to buy more ventilators to back up the supplies hospitals maintain. Instead, the health commissioner, Howard Zucker, assembled a task force for rationing the ventilators they already had.

... that task force came up with rules that will be imposed when ventilators run short. Patients assigned a red code will have highest access, and other patients will be assigned green, yellow or blue (the worst), depending on a “triage officer’s” decision.

In truth, a death officer. Let’s not sugar-coat it. It won’t be up to your own doctor.

... the the state could have purchased the additional 16,000 needed...

The state knew of the shortage, had the money and should have bought the lifesaving equipment, instead of making a plan for who should live or die. A lesson for the future.

.

[hudsonohio]

Fair enough. After I posted Pence announced 4000 ventilators are on their way to New York.

I’ve given Cuomo good marks so far but was wondering if he called Trump/ Pence before his presser. Hopefully these folks aren’t using press conferences to communicate with each other

[gogeo]

This is a mistake on the President’s part and I say that as someone who desperately wants to see him re-elected

Perhaps you could more fully explain the "mistake" part.

[SunkenCiv]

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