COVID 19 and the NHL: postponements, rescheduling, etc.

[GordonBlue]

Doctors condemn plans for packed arenas in reeling Alberta
https://www.tsn.ca/doctors-condemn-p...erta-1.1696894

More than a dozen infectious disease and critical care doctors are calling on the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers to drop plans to play games in full-capacity arenas this season as the province of Alberta lurches into an unprecedented medical crisis amid the fourth wave of COVID-19.

“This is about to be a nightmare like we’ve never seen before,” said Dr. Noel Gibney, an Edmonton critical-care doctor with four decades of experience working in ICUs
It’s jarring that we are asking other provinces to take our patients and at the same time having full hockey arenas that will lead to further spread of COVID-19.”

"It's reckless, and irresponsible for our province, as well as the Oilers and Flames, to be acting like nothing is going on, like our health-care system is normal,"

"They did it with no fans for a while and they can go back to it without too much trouble," Dr. Silverman said. "These are extreme times. In Alberta, they're now talking about bringing in emergency protocols for resuscitation, meaning that if someone's heart stops, a doctor may not resuscitate them because if they resuscitate them, they don't have an ICU bed to put them in.

"[The Oilers and Flames] have to be good citizens. They're supposed to be playing for the pride of the city, not helping the city go down the drain... The message the NHL is sending is, 'It's okay that you can't get your cancer surgery, but it's not okay if fans miss a game that they can watch at home on TV. That's just too much to ask.'"


I think they're right. the Oilers and Flames should ban fans from the pre season at the very least. especially how easy it is to fake the crappy paper "passport" the UCP has offered.

[Wastedyouth]

I mean, you have to be vaccinated to go to the games...

So whats the issue? Have we not been told repeatedly that vaccinated individuals have nearly no chance of ending up in the hopitals?

[Beatle17]

Originally Posted by GordonBlue

Doctors condemn plans for packed arenas in reeling Alberta
https://www.tsn.ca/doctors-condemn-p...erta-1.1696894

More than a dozen infectious disease and critical care doctors are calling on the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers to drop plans to play games in full-capacity arenas this season as the province of Alberta lurches into an unprecedented medical crisis amid the fourth wave of COVID-19.

“This is about to be a nightmare like we’ve never seen before,” said Dr. Noel Gibney, an Edmonton critical-care doctor with four decades of experience working in ICUs
It’s jarring that we are asking other provinces to take our patients and at the same time having full hockey arenas that will lead to further spread of COVID-19.”

"It's reckless, and irresponsible for our province, as well as the Oilers and Flames, to be acting like nothing is going on, like our health-care system is normal,"

"They did it with no fans for a while and they can go back to it without too much trouble," Dr. Silverman said. "These are extreme times. In Alberta, they're now talking about bringing in emergency protocols for resuscitation, meaning that if someone's heart stops, a doctor may not resuscitate them because if they resuscitate them, they don't have an ICU bed to put them in.

"[The Oilers and Flames] have to be good citizens. They're supposed to be playing for the pride of the city, not helping the city go down the drain... The message the NHL is sending is, 'It's okay that you can't get your cancer surgery, but it's not okay if fans miss a game that they can watch at home on TV. That's just too much to ask.'"


I think they're right. the Oilers and Flames should ban fans from the pre season at the very least. especially how easy it is to fake the crappy paper "passport" the UCP has offered.

Maybe these doctors should update their understanding of critical care beds in Alberta.

"Province-wide, Williamson said Alberta has 207 intensive care unit (ICU) beds. But when special units are counted—those for burn units, coronary care units, NICU, etc—the total tally of ICU beds in Alberta is 704 beds."

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Beatle17

Maybe these doctors should update their understanding of critical care beds in Alberta.

"Province-wide, Williamson said Alberta has 207 intensive care unit (ICU) beds. But when special units are counted—those for burn units, coronary care units, NICU, etc—the total tally of ICU beds in Alberta is 704 beds."

I can't believe I still have to type this, but beds aren't the issue, staff is. It doesn't matter how many places you have to put patients, if you don't have staff, they are useless. And we are beyond out of staff.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Wastedyouth

I mean, you have to be vaccinated to go to the games...

So whats the issue? Have we not been told repeatedly that vaccinated individuals have nearly no chance of ending up in the hopitals?

Because vaccinated can still spread the virus. So while the vaccinated at the games probably won't end up in the hospital, it will increase community spread, which will then impact the unvacinated, and stress our hospitals more. We really, really can't afford that anymore. Maybe in a month we will be in a situation where it is OK to risk more spread, but at this point it isn't worth it.

[868904]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Because vaccinated can still spread the virus. So while the vaccinated at the games probably won't end up in the hospital, it will increase community spread, which will then impact the unvacinated, and stress our hospitals more. We really, really can't afford that anymore. Maybe in a month we will be in a situation where it is OK to risk more spread, but at this point it isn't worth it.

Maybe they should stop treating the unvaccinated who have no legitimate medical reason for not getting vaccinated?

It’s not “no trouble” at all for the Flames, they are a business that relies heavily on ticket revenue and they’ve gone a year already without it. They are like every other business out there, struggling.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Beatle17

Maybe these doctors should update their understanding of critical care beds in Alberta.

"Province-wide, Williamson said Alberta has 207 intensive care unit (ICU) beds. But when special units are counted—those for burn units, coronary care units, NICU, etc—the total tally of ICU beds in Alberta is 704 beds."

Gee, I wonder if those special units aren’t counted because they are supposed to be for specialized purposes.

And, as said above, staffing is a huge issue. Right now 1 person is typically doing the work of 3 or 4.

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by Beatle17

Maybe these doctors should update their understanding of critical care beds in Alberta.

"Province-wide, Williamson said Alberta has 207 intensive care unit (ICU) beds. But when special units are counted—those for burn units, coronary care units, NICU, etc—the total tally of ICU beds in Alberta is 704 beds."

Those units are already likely 85% utilization.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Because vaccinated can still spread the virus. So while the vaccinated at the games probably won't end up in the hospital, it will increase community spread, which will then impact the unvacinated, and stress our hospitals more. We really, really can't afford that anymore. Maybe in a month we will be in a situation where it is OK to risk more spread, but at this point it isn't worth it.

Don’t forget the elderly and vulnerable.

If the hospitals were empty, we could care for them better. But thanks to the unvaccinated the elderly and vulnerable won’t get the proper care and may be left to die.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by 868904

Maybe they should stop treating the unvaccinated who have no legitimate medical reason for not getting vaccinated?

It’s not “no trouble” at all for the Flames, they are a business that relies heavily on ticket revenue and they’ve gone a year already without it. They are like every other business out there, struggling.

While the first point is appealing, I'm pretty sure they can't legally do that.

As to the second, the Flames can should go after the UCP for their incompetence. But it doesn't change the reality that we are in a very very bad situation, and any risk of increased spread must be minimized. That includes canceling non-essential entertainment. If I were in charge, I'd have gone a lot farther than where we are at now, so it wouldn't be singling them out. The less we do, the longer this drags on.

[homestand]

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

Don’t forget the elderly and vulnerable.

If the hospitals were empty, we could care for them better. But thanks to the unvaccinated the elderly and vulnerable won’t get the proper care and may be left to die.

And the surgeries delayed at the Children's hospital.

https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio...drens-hospital

[Scroopy Noopers]

Just run down to sleep country and pick up more beds! Easy peasy.

“Sleep country Canada. Solving your crisis one bed at a time *ding!*”

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Scroopy Noopers

Just run down to sleep country and pick up more beds! Easy peasy.

Great idea, then doctors can just update their understanding of critical care beds to include pillow-top mattresses and we're all set!

[topfiverecords]

Could be a good marketing opportunity partnership. What better way to sell beds and get potential future customers who got to try your product all day for consecutive weeks.