SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The number of available beds in hospitals and ICUs continues to shrink as more and more people seek medical attention for the coronavirus and other ailments.
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Monday the state is working to increase medical staffing and ensuring a supply of equipment.
California currently has only 14.2% of its 7,802 total ICU beds. According to the California Department of Public Health on Monday, in the San Joaquin Valley region and Southern California region, less than 7% and 11% of ICU beds were available, respectively.
But while most hospitals are more strained than they were in the last surge, Newsom said the resources available are more abundant than at the start of the pandemic.
"We are in a completely different place than we were in the beginning of this pandemic," Newsom said.
Staffing continues to be an issue, according to Newsom and the California Nursing Association. Newsom said 566 of 815 requested contract medical staff members are expected to be helping medical and surge facilities in California starting Dec. 14.
The state also requested 160 federal staff members to fill ICU strike teams and 80 Emergency Medical Service workers. The state is also using 90 California Medical Assistance Team members to support hospitals in need.
The state is also preparing 100 limited-term staff members to help serve people seeking medical attention. Some registered nurses will begin additional two-day training to work with ICU patients.
"That's being rolled out immediately," Newsom said.
According to Newsom, telehealth ICU support teams have started helping on-the-ground physicians perform duties needed to help critical patients.
In terms of supply, between Imperial County and Sacramento County's hospital bed surge facilities, 26 beds are ready for additional patients. In contrast, the hundreds of beds there and across the other seven facilities remain in "warm status." Nineteen patients in Imperial County are using surge capacity beds.
The state has procured protective equipment to help medical staff across the state:
- 339 million procedure masks
- 178.7 million N95 masks
- 63.8 million gowns
- 152.2 million gloves
- 19.5 million face shields
The state also has 21,209 total ventilators, and Newsom said the state has been working for months to increase its supply of ventilators to help patients in dire need of aid while fighting COVID-19.
According to the Legislative Analyst's Office, the state spent roughly $196.8 million to acquire protective gear and ventilators to bolster the state's supply.
