Colorado Doctor Describes What's Next As His Hospital Fills To 100% Capacity

DENVER (CBS4) - As COVID-19 cases soar around the nation, at least one hospital in Colorado is feeling the strain.

"A hospital where I'm associated, the ICU is above 100% capacity," CBS4 Medical Editor Dr. Dave Hnida said on Monday.

At that same time, the state reported 48% of the adult critical care ventilators were in use and 30% of the facilities were anticipating staff shortages within the next week.

Hnida continued describing his personal experience from the past week.

"The only reason that they're functional is the fact that we are now taking ICU units and we're doubling them up, putting two beds where there used to be just one bed."

"When you look at a situation we had last week in the emergency room, we had six patients who had to stay in the emergency room overnight because there was no place within in the hospital to put them into a bed in order to get care."

"There are staffing issues, there are also issues for people who do not have access to care if they would have something bad happened to them, people in a car accident or who have a heart attack."

"Another thing that we are seeing is people who have conditions such as cancer or other chronic conditions, they're not able to get their surgeries done or other procedures."

Hnida used the description as a way to again press the case for wearing a mask to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

"They're cheap. they are effective and wearing a mask does not shut down the economy, it does not shut down schools. It is 'not' wearing a mask that actually contributes to those issues. So if we can make this the social norm, that would really go a long way in helping to rid our country of COVID."