Just 18 total patients were sent this week to the USNS Mercy, Comfort

[icymist]

Source: Navy Times

The USNS hospital ships Mercy and Comfort have treated fewer than 20 patients combined since the ships arrived in Los Angeles and New York City, respectively, according to the commanding officers of the vessels.

That means the majority of the hospital ships’ vast spaces remain vacant — each can accommodate 1,000 hospital beds.

According to the Mercy’s commanding officer Capt. John Rotruck, the hospital ship has treated a total of 15 patients — five of which have been discharged already — since the Mercy arrived in Los Angeles on Friday. Meanwhile, the Comfort arrived in New York City on Monday and has since treated three patients, the Comfort’s commanding officer Capt. Patrick Amersbach said.

Neither the Comfort or the Mercy are accepting walk-in patients, the captains said. Rather, patients are referred to the ships from local hospitals, who are screening and conducting COVID-19 tests on patients before boarding the vessels to prevent the spread of the virus.

Read more: https://www.navytimes.com/news/coronavirus/2020/04/02/just-18-patients-combined-were-sent-to-the-usns-mercy-comfort-this-week/

[C_U_L8R]

1. How many to that phony religious encampment in Central Park??

That vainglorious abomination has got to go.

[gibraltar72]

2. Little Comfort and Strained Mercy.

[IronLionZion]

3. These ships are not the best option for hospital care, but the last resort

So they are using onshore hospital capacity first, and only the excess are sent to ships if deemed necessary and suitable.

It should be noted that COVID-19 patients are not sent to these ships. And there are fewer elective procedures in general because of the crisis so there is some capacity in hospitals. The crowding and shortages we hear about are in pulmonary/ICU.

[EarthFirst]

4. This is exactly right...

The mission was never to load up all 1000 spaces with COVID patients.

It’s a flex option for non COVID patients seeking emergency medical care.

[IronLionZion]

11. It's also a morale booster for the local population

it's helps people feel like the cavalry arrived. They feel hope that things will get better.

[icymist]

5. I'm wondering if it has something to do with availability of COVID-19 tests.

patients are referred to the ships from local hospitals, who are screening and conducting COVID-19 tests on patients before boarding the vessels to prevent the spread of the virus.

These tests have been notoriously unprovided. I wouldn't put it past the orange cum-splat to use this as a campaign thing: "See? I provided these (Democratic) Mayors/Governors with these big beautiful ships. The most beautiful ships in the history of dirt! They didn't use them!

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100213199039
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10142446464
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100213178594
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100213182611

[customerserviceguy]

6. I'm not surprised

Hospitals have never had to transport a sick person to a ship routinely. Perhaps the best thing is for ambulances to bring patients directly to the ships.

[lostnfound]

8. I'm not surprised because they sent it for show, just like in Puerto Rico.

Doctors on the ship were pissed that they were sitting around doing nothing, off the coast of Puerto Rico.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/06/us/puerto-rico-hurricane-maria-hospital-ship.html

[BigDemVoter]

7. That probably means that most patients arriving in Emergency Departments

are Covid 19 patients. I read that about 60% of patients in the CHICAGO area are Covid. I am sure it is much, much , much worse in Manhattan.

[SunSeeker]

9. Yup, if your heart has stopped in NYC, you get a toe tag, not a ride to the ER.

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/coronavirus/grim-new-rules-for-nyc-paramedics-dont-bring-cardiac-arrests-to-er-for-revival/2356265/

[sarisataka]

10. How many patients are in

NYC hospitals other than Covid, OB or peds? How many have the hospitals requested to be transferred to the ship? How many were declined?