ERs are now swamped with seriously ill patients — but most don't even have COVID

ERs are now swamped with seriously ill patients — but most don't even have COVID Patients who couldn't see a doctor earlier in the pandemic, or were too afraid to go to a hospital, have finally become too sick to stay away. Many ERs now struggle to cope with an onslaught of need. NPR.org

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Even in parts of the country where COVID isn't overwhelming the health system, patients are showing up to the ER sicker than they were before the pandemic, their diseases more advanced and in need of more complicated care.

Months of treatment delays have exacerbated chronic conditions and worsened symptoms. Doctors and nurses say the severity of illness ranges widely and includes abdominal pain, respiratory problems, blood clots, heart conditions, and suicide attempts, among others. ...