And so it continues…
Portland-area physicians are joining state health officials in urging the public to wear masks indoors in light surging respiratory cases, they say are overwhelming Oregon hospitals.
Cases of influenza and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, are surging in Oregon, forcing hospitals into crisis mode as they struggle to manage heavy demand for adult and pediatric beds, health officials said.
Physicians say if people don’t start wearing masks indoors more, they put themselves and those around them – especially young children and older adults – at risk of severe illness, or even death.
“Masking works,” said Wendy Hasson, M.D., medical director of the pediatric intensive care unit at Randall Children’s Hospital at Legacy Emanuel. “Anytime you have to go to an indoor crowded area during this surge, if you and your child can wear a mask, that will help protect the (health care) resources.”
Dean Sidelinger, M.D., M.S.Ed., health officer and state epidemiologist at Oregon Health Authority said, “Today, more hospitals are reaching a point of crisis in their adult bed capacity just as our pediatric hospitals moved to crisis care standards in the past two weeks,” he said. “The combination of surging flu, RSV and COVID-19 cases is pushing hospitals past their current ICU bed capacity, which never happened during the darkest days of the COVID-19 pandemic in Oregon.”
COVID: OREGON’S LINCOLN COUNTY MANDATES MASKS WITH RACIST EXEMPTION, PUTTING BLACK RESIDENTS AT RISK
AUSTRALIA: STAY-AT-HOME ORDERS EXTENDED ACROSS ALL OF GREATER SYDNEY
PHILIPPINES: MORE THAN 500 APPREHENDED IN ANGELES CITY FOR NOT WEARING MASKS
