Earlier this week, the state's Department of Health Services announced the need to double our hospital and ICU bed capacity as we near the peak of the coronavirus outbreak in Arizona.
Jessica Rigler, assistant director of public health preparedness for the Arizona Department of Health Services, answers a few questions about preparedness:
Other regions impacted by the COVID-19 virus have created places where people who tested positive can go to wait out there symptoms rather than take the virus home to other family members. Is there anything like this in the works anywhere in Arizona?
At this time, there are no facilities designated for this purpose, but it is a strategy we are considering as part of our comprehensive planning efforts.
People are concerned about the need for more hospital beds and are wondering what the state is doing to support counties in this effort. Can you please provide information about this?
There are several steps being taken to address this:
- Dr. Cara Christ sent a letter to hospitals urging them to conduct planning to increase capacity;
- Governor Ducey issued an executive order requiring facilities to expand their bed space by 50%;
- We are partnering with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to identify alternative care sites around the states that can be converted to hospitals or low acuity step down units in order to increase the total number of available beds across the state.
Will Arizona be receiving more ventilators soon? If not, why not?
Arizona has put in a federal resource request for 5,000 additional ventilators, which is making its way through the approval process. We do not yet know how many, if any, will be provided. We have also urged hospitals (see letter reference above), to identify additional medical devices that can support patients in need of ventilation and have surveyed ambulatory surgery centers to identify additional ventilators outside of hospitals that can support increased ventilator need in the state. In addition, Arizona is exploring the purchase of additional ventilators to build more capacity for critical care patients.
Photos for March 26: Tucson gets by during coronavirus pandemic
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Izzy Thesz, a junior at the University of Arizona and member of the club cheer team, practices her tumbling in a mostly empty central mall outside of the Albert B. Weaver Science-Engineering Library, on March 26, 2020.
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Two pedestrians wearing gloves and masks walk past, a closed down, Chicago Music Store in Downtown Tucson on March 23, 2020. People in Tucson, Ariz. are starting to wear masks and gloves due to the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19).
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Bill Bresnahan, center, practices his putting with other golfers while waiting to tee off at hole one of Dell Urich Course at Randolph Golf Course in Tucson, Ariz., on March 23, 2020. Golf is increasingly becoming more popular due to the urged “Social Distance” because of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19).
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A sign at Sewell Elementary School, 425 N. Sahuaro Ave., informs the public that schools will be closed until April 10th due to Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19). Photo taken in Tucson, Ariz., on March 25, 2020.
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Roman Martinez, freshman pre-business major at the University of Arizona, gets in a calisthenics workout using a Fit Core system at Mansfield Park, 2000 N. Fourth Ave., in Tucson, Ariz., on March 25, 2020.
Tucson, coronavirus pandemic
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A women walks down N. Craycroft Rd. wearing a mask and gloves, due to Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), in Tucson, Ariz., on March 25, 2020.
Tucson, coronavirus pandemic
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Sixten Jordan, center, senior creative media and film major at Northern Arizona University, Abigail Jackson, senior political science and international affairs major at NAU, and Max, 8-year-old mix, eat lunch at Mansfield Park, 2000 N. Fourth Ave., in Tucson, Ariz., on March 25, 2020. Due to numerous places closing because of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), parks are becoming a popular spot to hangout and partake in activities.
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Marina Cornelius, owner of Floor Polish Dance + Fitness, teaches her Cardio Party-O class via Periscope to her students on March 20, 2020. Cornelius says this is the first time she's trying to livestream classes and is learning as she goes.
Tucson, coronavirus pandemic
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Sun sets behind the darkened Galaxy Theater closed in the aftermath of the COVID-19 restrictions, entering their second week in effect, March 25, 2020, Tucson, Ariz.
Tucson, coronavirus pandemic
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Chris Larsen pours himself a drink while chatting, and keeping his distance, from a few of his neighbors in Bario Viejo during the nightly get-together at Mendoza Park, March 24, 2020, Tucson, Ariz.
