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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsUtah GOP Lawmaker Says ICUs are Full Because of 'Chasing' Staff Away, Not COVID-19
A Utah Republican who sponsored a bill lifting most COVID-related restrictions falsely claimed that the state's shortage of ICU beds was not because of the pandemic, but because the staff were "chased" away.
Rep. Paul Ray, who represents the Clearfield area, made the comments during a hearing about President Joe Biden's vaccine mandates for businesses, according to The Salt Lake Tribune. The lawmaker began speaking about a person's choice to get vaccinated when he segued to hospital capacity in the state.
Ray claimed that the shortage of ICU beds was not caused by unvaccinated people in the hospital due to the spread of the Delta variant, but rather from business decisions.
"[Intermountain Healthcare] says they're out of space. They're not out of space. They're out of employees. They chased their doctors away. They chased their nurses away. They made it hell for their employees," Ray said. "They got caught in the middle of a pandemic trying to change their business model to increase their billion-dollar bottom line so they can make more money. They got caught with their pants down. Now all of a sudden it's our fault."
https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/utah-gop-lawmaker-says-icus-are-full-because-of-chasing-staff-away-not-covid-19/ar-AAOuAoy
The GOP is a fucking death cult.
Thomas Hurt
(13,903 posts)floor space, electrical outlets, etc. for beds and equipment.
BlueIdaho
(13,582 posts)At one of those hospitals. Maybe then he would shut his pie hole and learn a little respect for hard working professionals. Something he most definitely is not.
PortTack
(32,809 posts)Caliman73
(11,752 posts)What is the capacity of the hospital in beds? What is the staff count? Has either changed dramatically in the past 18 months? What was the average capacity during pre-COVID days versus now?
I have none of that information but I am sure it can be found.
Also, is the "good representative" saying that there is a problem with the for profit healthcare system? If that is what he is implying, then I would tend to agree.
It doesn't appear that he was asked any of those questions.