It was slow at the hospital, only three patients in the ED when I got to work. A doctor said to me, these past two weeks have been like low tide, when the water recedes way farther out than normal, so far out that all you can see are rocks. But you know that when the tide comes back in, it’s going to be a raging tsunami.
People who can avoid coming to the ER are avoiding it. Some of the people who come in during the course of the day have weakness, body aches, fevers and cough. They don’t all have COVID, but they could, so they treated as if they do. They need to be isolated, and the staff needs protective gear to treat them. Tests go out. Some come back a day or two later ruled out, others rule in.
Many who have COVID don’t need to go to the hospital. Some will be sick enough that they finally do. Some will need ICU care. A few of these will need ventilators. Some may die.
At some point the cases may exceed capacity. That’s the fear. That’s the reason for the social distancing. Flatten the curve.
At some point in April or May or June, we may be swept up in that tsunami. For right now, we wait.
Connecticut cases are up to 875 and 19 deaths.
