Doctors React To COVID-19 Models That Show Colorado Will Hit Record Number Of Hospitalizations Within 2 Weeks

LONE TREE, Colo. (CBS4)- The model indicates that Colorado will hit a record number of hospitalizations from the coronavirus pandemic within two weeks. As COVID-19 numbers across Colorado spike, medical professionals across the state are looking back.

"There are things that worked earlier this year and we are going to be ready to pull those triggers if we need to again, it's the unfortunate advantage of have of having gone through something already," Dr. Eric Lung said.

Lung is the Chief Medical Officer at Sky Ridge Medical Center. He was working in the emergency department when COVID-19 numbers first peaked.

"We all knew there was going to be a second surge we didn't know when it was going to happen," he said.

According to new models from the Colorado Department Public Health and Environment, if contacts increase over the holidays, the state could be over capacity by December.

"We are all afraid of getting to this critical point where we are going to run out of ventilators we can find space to put patients but you can't get enough ventilators that fast if you have overrun your community with people who need it," he said.

While he says they have their concerns and are mindful of every bed in their hospital, he is hoping we can turn things around long before patients walk through the doors.

"I want to believe it won't be as bad as in the spring because we have therapies, we can get patients out faster and because we are wearing masks, I have to believe in that process."