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RIVERSIDE (CBSLA) – The new year has started with record-breaking hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients across Southern California.
Doctors in Riverside County said they are overworked as they try to save lives.
“Anytime we have a little bit of a break with the number of patients coming to the emergency department it gives our staff, our physicians, our nurses to just sort of recharge,” said Dr. Steven Kim, Emergency Department Chair of Riverside Community Hospital.
Kim said a slow New Year’s Eve delivered some relief to his staff. The weekend before, the hospital had to convert its cafeteria into an alternative care area to treat patients.
But the break isn’t expected to last, the first and second weeks of January will most likely bring a surge of COVID-19 patients to the hospital from Christmas and New Year’s Eve gatherings.
“This is a very serious condition. It’s completely out of control right now in Los Angeles,” said Dr. Michael Hirt, medical director at the Center for Integrative Medicine. “If there was ever a time to focus on your health, this is the time.”
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Friday reported 20,414 newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 207 deaths, bringing countywide totals to 790,582 cases and 10,552 deaths.
Doctors are nurses are pleading with the public to keep following COVID-19 health guidelines. Dr. Kim added they will know in about 10 days if Southern California hospitals will be in big trouble as a result of holiday gatherings.
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