Grim New Orders Issued To LA Paramedics [VIDEO]

ABC News reports:

As hospitalizations climb, the Los Angeles County Emergency Medical Services Agency (EMS) directed ambulance crews not to transport patients with little chance of survival to hospitals and to conserve the use of oxygen.

Before the pandemic, when healthcare workers and resources were more readily available, patients who were unlikely to recover could be transported by ambulance to the hospital for treatment.

But Los Angeles hospitals are now at capacity and many medical facilities don’t have the space to take in patients who do not have a chance of survival, the agency said. Patients whose hearts have stopped despite efforts of resuscitation, the county EMS said, should no longer be transported to hospitals.

NEW: The LA County EMS has directed ambulance crews not to transport patients with little chance of survival to hospitals, and to conserve the use of oxygen. Per ⁦@alexandrameeks⁩ pic.twitter.com/9Hnlnc7JaP

— Pervaiz Shallwani (@Pervaizistan) January 5, 2021

If there are no signs of breathing or a pulse, EMS will continue to perform resuscitation for at least 20 minutes, the memo said. If the patient is stabilized after the period of resuscitation, the patient would be transported to a hospital. https://t.co/0NihLm7ZGw

— Pervaiz Shallwani (@Pervaizistan) January 5, 2021

A shortage of oxygen in LA & nearby San Joaquin Valley is forcing paramedics to conserve the supply.

In order to maintain normal circulation of blood to organs and tissue, EMS said an oxygen saturation of at least 90% will be sufficient.
https://t.co/0NihLm7ZGw

— Pervaiz Shallwani (@Pervaizistan) January 5, 2021

A person is dying of the virus every 15 minutes, LA County Director of Public Health Barbara Ferrer said. “The increases in cases are likely to continue for weeks to come as a result of holiday and New Year’s Eve parties and returning travelers. https://t.co/1d3K0iJ0An

— Pervaiz Shallwani (@Pervaizistan) January 5, 2021