Eventual third outbreak? What does that mean?
No, I don’t fear it in an overall sense. Large hospitals have covid ICU’s and non-covid. In my state the hospitals have been coordinating to direct patients to other hospitals when necessary. Some places around the US are more at risk though, so it depends a little where exactly you live. I actually don’t have a lot of ICU space where I live considering we have a very high risk population. I can look up open beds online any time I am curious. I am assuming they can open a new unit if they need to. I do trust my governor would move equipment if necessary and even help move staff and wave any laws about needing credentials at a particular hospital if need be.
Hospitals in Florida (I assume other states also) have to cancel elective procedures in hospitals if they reach a certain occupancy, I don’t remember what it is, to be able to expand for covid quickly if there is a sharp increase in patients, but that does not preclude other emergencies and hospitalizations being tended to.
One thing I felt was done incorrectly, was some hospitals or states were categorizing elective in such an extreme way I disagreed with it. Putting off cancer surgeries even. I don’t think that would be done again, except in a very extreme circumstance.
I really worry about hospital workers. They are being overstressed, overworked, and put at risk in places where there are large caseloads. It literally makes my chest ache when I think about it. At the same time, since hospitals can’t be at full capacity nurses and other hospitals workers are having their hours cut.
What seems apparent to me is most governors or mayors put some sort of brake on to prevent the spread of covid when the hospitals start to load up. Even most Republican governors and mayors who want to parrot back “freedom and individual rights” change their tune when the hospitals are filling up. I guess maybe they have a bit of a conscience in the end. Too little too late though.