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California Hospitals Concerned About Staffing Shortages Due To Surge

The L.A. Convention Center is being converted into a field hospital to be managed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in case of an influx of COVIC-19 patients. (Via L.A. Mayor's Twitter account)
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Hospital officials in California say they’re concerned about staffing as hospitalizations from COVID-19 reach all-time highs in the state. L.A. County officials said Wednesday they saw more than 2,200 people hospitalized for four days in a row.

“Capacity is made up of not just space and beds, said Carmela Coyle, of the California Hospital Association. "In fact, those things are among the easiest to resolve. But it is all about staff and personal protective equipment, and testing. And unfortunately all three of those things are in short supply."

Coyle said there are about 50,000 staffed hospital beds across the state -- and about 45,000 are currently taken.

Staffing concerns were serious enough that last week, the U.S. Air Force sent medical support teams to several hospitals in California, including Eisenhower Medical Center in Riverside County.

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