coronavirus

Good Samaritan Hospital Takes Down COVID-19 Surge Tents

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While officials still warn the COVID-19 fight is far from over, Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose was able to take its surge capacity tents used to screen coronavirus patients down Monday after a month and a half. 

“People should take this as a very good sign, as a positive sign,” said Chief Nursing Officer Mark Brown.

Good Samaritan was the first in Santa Clara County to put them up outside of the ER to screen patients and have more surge beds in case of overflow.

After a month and a half, Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose took its surge capacity tents, used to screen COVID-19 patients, down. Ian Cull reports.

“We had one of the first patients in the entire state of California, that’s why we put up the surge tents originally so we would be ready for it,” said Brown.

The officer said people are able to shelter-at-home more easily in that area and it’s not as bad as first expected.

“The number of cases being hospitalized, the number of cases that come into the ICU in general, we’ve seen that decrease week after week after week,” said Brown. “So we feel now it’s time to get back to normal operations.”

While it’s the first to take their tents down, Brown said others in the South Bay like Regional are still being hit hard and overall as a county, the Public Health Department now tracks case numbers by the day the positive person was tested not the day they got the results.

So while there was an average of just 26.5 new cases a day last week, which is less than half the week before, those numbers are expected to increase as results come in.

On Monday, the county also doubled down on the need to keep up the physical distancing.

“The six feet is for when you get to the grocery store or you go to get mediations,” said Marianna Moles from the department. “It’s not for having happy hours in your front yard, or visiting your sister and her kids in their driveway.”

The hospital said the tents are now in storage and are available if needed, but they are comfortable making the decision.

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