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Diary From The COVID-19 Frontlines: 'A Steady Drumbeat' Of Cases
Set up for a field hospital at the Antelope Valley Fairgrounds. (Chava Sanchez / LAist)
This is the first installment of "Diary From The COVID-19 Frontlines," an ongoing series of dispatches from health care workers.
In a story last week, we spoke with Dr. Larry Stock, an ER physician at Antelope Valley Hospital, about how his department is preparing for the expected surge in COVID-19 patients.
He told us a field hospital was being set up at the Antelope Valley Fairgrounds to help treat COVID patients during the second half of their hospitalization, and how the entire hospital is being transformed into one big ICU for COVID patients:
We checked in with him again this week. He says there’s been fewer people coming into the ER over the last several days, but told us “the cases we are seeing are a steady drumbeat of COVID cases, some moderate and mild, and some severe that require ICU care.”
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“We’re in real preparation phase to button up as many things as we can before the surge begins in Los Angeles.”
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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