Coronavirus California

Here's what San Francisco General Hospital's COVID-19 surge plan looks like as cases reach highest peak

ByLuz Pena KGO logo

Sunday, January 10, 2021

SF General implements surge plan as COVID cases hit highest peak

There are more than two million COVID-19 cases statewide and hospitals across California are being pushed to their breaking point. At Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, they have implemented their COVID-19 surge plan.

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- There are more than two million COVID-19 cases statewide and hospitals across California are being pushed to their breaking point.

At Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, they have implemented their COVID-19 surge plan.

"We are already seeing overflow of our intensive care unit into the post-anesthesia care unit or the PAC-U," said Dr. Christopher Colwell, Chief of Emergency Medicine at Zuckerberg SF General Hospital.

Dr. Colwell says a combination of the Thanksgiving and Christmas surge plus New Year cases all at once, left them no other option but to add additional floors to treat COVID-19 patients.

"At least 4 regular floor wards and 3 ICU areas," said Dr. Colwell.

Currently, Zuckerberg SF General Hospital has 59 COVID-19 positive cases. This is the highest number of cases they've had in the entire pandemic. A number of cases that automatically puts them in the orange level of their surge plan, one case away from the highest level.

"It means that we have to open yet another ward for COVID-only patients. It means we need to put more limitations on any surgeries beyond the urgent or emergency surgeries, also limitations on primary care, clinic and outpatient clinics," explained, Dr. Colwell.

Dr. Colwell projects they're likely to enter the red level of their surge plan this weekend.

A tent at the South East health clinic is equipped to accept more COVID cases as demand grows.

"We are looking at what it would look like to set up field care clinics so patients who would normally be admitted to the hospital can be admitted to these field care clinics instead," said Dr. Colwell.

Similar response plans are seen across the state.

In San Bernardino County, Saint Mary's Medical Center in Apple Valley allowed a camera inside its ICU to show the steady stream of new patients, most of them with COVID-19.

Their staff is treating 50 ICU patients with just 20 ICU beds.

Luz Pena: "Are you running out of ICU beds?

Dr. Colwell: "We still have some ICU capacity. Thankfully the majority of those 59 that are in the hospital and that admitted to the hospital now are not in the ICU numbers have been generally about a third and we are just a tad lower than that in about 14."

Overall, the Bay Area's ICU capacity is 3.0% as of Saturday.

Other regions with low ICU capacity are San Joaquin Valley, Southern California and the Greater Sacramento.

According to the California Department of Public Health once a region's four-week ICU projection shows a capacity of greater than or equal to 15%, the Stay at home order will be lifted for that area.

At this time, the Bay Area remains under the Regional Stay at Home Order.

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