To some degree the statement that more testing does mean more cases is true. But where the issue lies and the trend really matters is how many heads in beds with Covid are in our hospitals. Governor Newsome made a big show yesterday that while Covid hospitalizations are only using 8% of the CA hospital bed capacity they have some 50,000 surge beds available. That may be true but as a retired hospital administrator I will tell you something the Governor may be ignoring or uninformed about. While a hospital can turn on surplus patient rooms, the space is not the only key thing. We had surge space for an extra 100 rooms (we regularly used them for needed office space) but we didn't have the actual extra beds, we didn't have extra ICU ready staff, the rooms were below par for current ICU standards and didn't have the negative air flow you want to protect staff. And if you are already short of ventilators and PPE you are even in more dire straights. In short, you may get a room but your level of care may be far below the standard needed for optimal treatment. At some point this falls to a level called minimal crisis care and the outcomes are not good.
Knowing docs and nurses in a hospital setting well, while they are incredibly smart and capable people, they don't do well when the way they have to practice medicine is outside the norm. Having to perform when you are at high risk and underequipped is not something they do well for long. We are risking a mass mutiny and exodus from the hospital medical professionals by managing this so poorly. Politicians act like these people are soldiers and have to show up for a losing battle. They are not and it would be good if folks started to realize that when you show up with Covid or a stroke or a heart attack, you may be very disappointed.
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