Topic: Triage

Advocates called for transparency in the contractual agreements between AstraZeneca, Oxford University, and the South African government regarding vaccine trials. In South Texas, Starr County hospitals were forced to create ethics and triage teams to determine which patients could be treated as facilities became overwhelmed. The situation highlighted the dire impact of the virus in hotspots where medical resources were exhausted.

Idaho has activated "crisis standards of care" due to overfilled hospitals, allowing for the rationing of medical resources like ventilators. Washington state officials indicate they may take Idaho patients but are under no legal obligation to do so as their own capacity reaches its limit.

Reports of "death panels" in Starr County, Texas, are scrutinized as sensationalized media narratives. While CNN reports that doctors must choose who lives or dies due to hospital overflows, data shows the specific community involved has a very small number of dedicated COVID-19 beds. The reporting is characterized as "fear porn" designed to maximize public anxiety.

Chief doctors at an Orlando hospital held a press conference describing the immediate aftermath of the massacre, emphasizing that the situation was not a drill or a joke. The medical staff treated over 22 gunshot wounds simultaneously as team members arrived at work in tears. This official confirmation is used to pivot away from "crisis actor" theories circulating online.

The hosts examine reports from Loma Linda University Medical Center and Arrowhead Regional Medical Center. They point out inconsistencies in the reported number of victims and the lack of visible activity at triage sites. A witness report of victims being kept "in the shadows" behind curtains leads the hosts to compare the event's media management to the Sandy Hook shooting.

The hosts review "Triage," an iOS app that allows users to quickly archive or delete emails using a swipe interface similar to Tinder. They also discuss Apple's addition of transit directions to the Apple Watch. They joke that if users spend all their money on Apple products, they will be forced to rely on public transportation.

The shooting at the Clackamas Town Center in Portland is analyzed for inconsistencies. The hosts point out that the shooter, Jacob Tyler Roberts, has the "standard" three names and that a police exercise was reportedly taking place nearby. They scrutinize a witness interview on Anderson Cooper's show, suggesting the witness used professional "police talk" like "perimeter," "triage," and "multiple agencies," indicating she may be a crisis actor or official spokesperson.

President Obama's declaration of a national emergency regarding the swine flu is examined in the context of hospital triage and federal funding. The hosts compare the declaration to the one signed before Hurricane Katrina, noting it allows Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to bypass certain regulations for treating patients in off-site tents. Skepticism is expressed regarding the reported "widespread" nature of the flu compared to seasonal flu death statistics.

Florida health officials are developing guidelines that could bar patients with terminal illnesses from hospitals if facilities are overwhelmed by flu cases. Meanwhile, the Boston Herald reports that thousands of state inmates will receive H1N1 vaccinations before the general public. The hosts debate the ethics of prioritizing prisoners for medical care during a pandemic.