Hospital may have to ration care if COVID and flu surge continues, CDC warns

Against a surge of respiratory illnesses, including flu, RSV and COVID-19, on Thursday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned hospitals might be forced to triage care if hospitalizations continue to rise. In some parts of the country, the CDC stated, pediatric hospitals are already nearly as full as they were this time last year. If these trends continue, the situation will likely strain emergency departments and hospitals.

“Strain on the healthcare system could mean that patients with other serious health conditions may face delays in receiving care,” the CDC warned, emphasizing that the “peak” of respiratory illness activity has yet to come. This comes one week after CDC director Mandy Cohen released a video about how to take precautions this winter, including masking, as the Pirola clan outpaces previously dominant COVID-19 variants.

The CDC urged all Americans to get vaccinated against COVID-19, influenza and RSV for those over the age of 60. “If more Americans are protected against severe respiratory illnesses, we will likely see fewer hospitalizations,” the CDC stated. “Lives can be saved.”