California on Thursday it became the third state to exceed 25,000 COVID deaths, following New York and Texas. In Los Angeles County, many funeral homes are crowded and health workers feel under siege.
Southern California hospitals are at the breaking point, with 1 in 5 COVID-19 tests positive.
“It is total chaos,” said nurse Tavonia Ekwegh, who runs the emergency room at Anaheim Global Medical Center. The tents outside the medical center are filling up.
“It is a war zone, we have an ambulance operation after an ambulance operation,” said Ekwegh.
Hospitalizations are expected to double in January. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti expressed this in direct terms: The “simple answer” is that Los Angeles hospitals cannot serve twice as many patients.
“People will die in the corridors of our hospitals,” said Garcetti. “Our behavior will dictate whether people will live or die as much as any action in the hospital.”
He’s sending extra patrols to stop the New Year’s parties. He estimated that “probably more than 1,000” policemen will be on the streets.
His message to city dwellers is “lifeguards, don’t be murderers”.
“When 95% of people are doing the right thing, it is still dangerous, let alone when 80% of people are doing the right thing, and it is disastrous,” said Garcetti.
And for Garcetti, the pandemic is now personal.
“Our own daughter. She went out on a fast food run and a shopping round,” said Garcetti. “She had a positive COVID-19 test. We did everything right and still came to our home.”
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