New York Magazine reported on two recently published studies which shows that 40% of the hospitalizations were not due to COVID.
“The reported number of COVID-19 hospitalizations, one of the primary metrics for tracking the severity of the coronavirus pandemic, was grossly inflated for children in California hospitals, two research papers published Wednesday concluded. The papers, both published in the journal Hospital Pediatrics, found that pediatric hospitalizations for COVID-19 were overcounted by at least 40 percent, carrying potential implications for nationwide figures.”
The Atlantic reported on a third study with more than 50,000 people:
“…the study suggests that roughly half of all the hospitalized patients showing up on COVID-data dashboards in 2021 may have been admitted for another reason entirely, or had only a mild presentation of disease.”
There is a statistical manipulation going on. The hospital has universal COVID testing, and even though the patients went to hospital for an entirely different reason, such as cancer, if they test positive during the universal screening, they are counted as COVID patients.
Another factor impacting the space in hospitals is nursing shortages due to resignations after vaccine mandates:
UH, Cleveland Clinic CEOs worry COVID-19 vaccine mandates could lead to staff reduction, endangering patient care – read the full article at Cleveland.com.
AHA concerned federal vaccine mandate could exacerbate severe worker shortage – read the full article at Fierce Healthcare.
“…as a “practical matter, this policy may result in exacerbating the severe workforce shortage problems that currently exist.”
Nurse shortages in California reaching crisis point – read the full article at Cal Matters.
On August 5th California Department of Public Health instituted a vaccine mandate on their workers. September 30th is the deadline to obtain the first dose.
““All of our hospitals are saying staffing is a big problem,” said Lois Richardson, attorney for the California Hospital Association. “We have fewer personnel than at the beginning of the pandemic and more patients.”
NY hospital to pause baby deliveries after staffers quit over vaccine mandate – read the full article at Kiro 7.
The CEO said that 6 staff in the maternity unit resigned right away after Governor Cuomo instituted the vaccine mandate for health workers on August 16th, and 7 more were undecided on the getting the vaccine. He said 27% of workers have yet to be vaccinated. The deadline is September 27th – let’s see what happens.
Nebraska is recruiting unvaccinated nurses to plug a staffing shortage – read the full article at The New York Times.
On August 12th, the largest hospitals in Nebraska instituted a vaccine mandate, and two weeks later, Nebraska is recruiting unvaccinated nurses.
Nebraska state job ad touts lack of vaccine requirement – read the full article at AP News.
By the end of August, about 40% of hospitals had instituted a vaccine mandate.
Some hospitals are foregoing vaccine mandates to avert staffing shortages – read the full article at Fortune.
It says that larger hospitals in urban centers can pay very high wages to pay traveling nurses, but rural hospital do not have the deep pockets to pay for traveling nurses, and they cannot bring in the National Guard to help if the hospital has less than 200 beds.
U.S. judge blocks N.Y. vaccine mandate for healthcare workers – read the full article at Reuters.
The state’s vaccine mandate did not allow for religious exemptions, so the suit was brought by several doctors and nurses who knew that their constitutional right to religious freedom was violated. The judge ruled in favor of the doctors and nurses. The state of New York has until September 22nd to respond.