Man Who Was Shot Six Times Still Waiting for Surgery Due to the Overwhelming Number of COVID Cases

[Debater Slayer]

A man who was shot six times has been waiting about a week to have surgery due to the hospital's being overwhelmed with COVID-19 cases:

A Texas man who was shot six times one week ago is anxiously awaiting surgery at a Houston hospital, where doctors are struggling to respond to COVID-19 cases.

Joel Valdez, a local business owner from Houston, Texas, told Fox 26 Houston that he's been waiting for surgery since last Saturday, August 7.

"Everybody is really surprised I'm still in this bed a week later," he told Fox 26 from his hospital room at Ben Taub. Valdez had been leaving a grocery store last Saturday morning when a stranger shot him six times in the neck and shoulder.

Three of those shots left one of his shoulders broken, the body part on which he's waiting to get surgery.

"Having broken bones and bullets in me for over a week now, it's a little frustrating," Valdez said.

Ben Taub's ICU is at 98% capacity, a spokesperson told Fox 26. About a third of those ICU patients are being treated for the coronavirus, the spokesperson said.

A Texas hospital is so overwhelmed with COVID-19 cases that a man shot six times has waited a week for surgery

In my opinion, cases like this are among multiple reasons a case could arguably be made for mandatory COVID-19 vaccination in areas with a particularly high number of infections and resultant hospitalizations.

 

[Kenny]

A man who was shot six times has been waiting about a week to have surgery due to the hospital's being overwhelmed with COVID-19 cases:



A Texas hospital is so overwhelmed with COVID-19 cases that a man shot six times has waited a week for surgery

In my opinion, cases like this are among multiple reasons a case could arguably be made for mandatory COVID-19 vaccination in areas with a particularly high number of infections and resultant hospitalizations.

I think it would be mandatory to operate on a person who has been shot six times.

 

[Debater Slayer]

I think it would be mandatory to operate on a person who has been shot six times.

But then he could require a hospital bed already occupied by a severely sick or dying COVID patient. What should the hospital staff do in that case?

 

[crossfire]

A man who was shot six times has been waiting about a week to have surgery due to the hospital's being overwhelmed with COVID-19 cases:



A Texas hospital is so overwhelmed with COVID-19 cases that a man shot six times has waited a week for surgery

In my opinion, cases like this are among multiple reasons a case could arguably be made for mandatory COVID-19 vaccination in areas with a particularly high number of infections and resultant hospitalizations.

Or at the very least, expose the Governor's ineptitude there for Banning Facemask Mandates.

 

[We Never Know]

But then he could require a hospital bed already occupied by a severely sick or dying COVID patient. What should the hospital staff do in that case?

Isn't he already in a hospital bed? I figured it was because staff is over worked/ short.

 

[Debater Slayer]

Isn't he already in a hospital bed? I figured it was because staff is over worked/ short.

That's also something to consider. Who should the staff prioritize: the man who was shot six times or a severely sick/dying COVID patient? And more importantly, if mandating vaccines in an area with such a large number of hospitalizations could prevent this scenario from occurring in the first place, then why shouldn't vaccines be mandatory?

 

[Twilight Hue]

I think it would be mandatory to operate on a person who has been shot six times.

I'd agree but I'm sure if it was determined he wasn't going to die right away, the surgery can wait.

 

[Kenny]

But then he could require a hospital bed already occupied by a severely sick or dying COVID patient. What should the hospital staff do in that case?

Well... maybe we are different in Florida... do they have helicopters there that transports people? Or, on a more logical position, do they have ambulances and more than one hospital? I would assume if they have been waiting for days, pretty much any hospital in the whole of the US could be reached by ambulance, let alone by helicopter.

 

[We Never Know]

That's also something to consider. Who should the staff prioritize: the man who was shot six times or a severely sick/dying COVID patient? And more importantly, if mandating vaccines in an area with such a large number of hospitalizations could prevent this scenario from occurring in the first place, then why shouldn't vaccines be mandatory?

I don't see surgeon's being tied up with covid patients. Now staff needed to tend to him after surgery could be a different story.

 

[Kenny]

I'd agree but I'm sure if it was determined he wasn't going to die right away, the surgery can wait.

I guess... six time seems like pretty serious to me. Maybe not to his/her family?

If no one is complaining... why make it a vaccination issue?

not to mention the spike is due to "because of spiking COVID-19 numbers driven by the Delta variant"

There is no vaccination for the Delta variant.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

But then he could require a hospital bed already occupied by a severely sick or dying COVID patient. What should the hospital staff do in that case?

Go by severity of the conditions and symptoms regardless the illness or trauma.

 

[Twilight Hue]

I guess... six time seems like pretty serious to me. Maybe not to his/her family?

If no one is complaining... why make it a vaccination issue?

I dunno but I'm sure this whole discussion isn't really set up to be about the fella shot here.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

That's also something to consider. Who should the staff prioritize: the man who was shot six times or a severely sick/dying COVID patient? And more importantly, if mandating vaccines in an area with such a large number of hospitalizations could prevent this scenario from occurring in the first place, then why shouldn't vaccines be mandatory?

The man would ideally be in the ER and the COVID patient in ICU. They treat acute immediate problems first. If the covid person is stable they move on to those in need. Joint effort.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

I dunno but I'm sure this whole discussion isn't really set up to be about the fella shot here.

Set 'em up to knock 'm down.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Go by severity of the conditions an symptoms regardless the illness or trauma.

It's what triage is all about.

It's never first come first serve.

That's why I think this thread is disingenuous in this regard.

To explain, anybody in more serious condition will be treated first regardless of the affliction.

 

[Debater Slayer]

I guess... six time seems like pretty serious to me. Maybe not to his/her family?

If no one is complaining... why make it a vaccination issue?

not to mention the spike is due to "because of spiking COVID-19 numbers driven by the Delta variant"

There is no vaccination for the Delta variant.

1) It is an issue related to vaccination because the delay in providing care for this man is a result of an overwhelming number of hospitalizations caused by COVID, which current evidence shows vaccination significantly reduces.

2) Vaccination still helps against severe sickness and death resulting from the Delta variant, albeit at a lower rate than previous variants.

Here:

Coronavirus Disease 2019

Vaccines highly effective against hospitalisation from Delta variant

Fact Check-COVID-19 vaccines so far significantly reduce severe illness and hospitalization

A notable excerpt from the last link:

DELTA VARIANT EFFICACY
Evidence of the Delta variant’s higher transmissibility has concerned scientists and public health officials. Further Reuters reporting on this can be found here .

Vaccine protection remains very strong against severe disease and hospitalizations caused by any variation of the coronavirus, with the unvaccinated the most at risk, according to interviews with 10 leading COVID-19 experts.

A study published on July 22, 2021, in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that two doses of Pfizer's shot were 88% effective at preventing symptomatic disease from the Delta variant, compared to 93.7% against the Alpha variant (here).

 

[Debater Slayer]

It's what triage is all about.

It's never first come first serve.

That's why I think this thread is disingenuous in this regard.

To explain, anybody in more serious condition will be treated first regardless of the affliction.

The point is that current evidence shows that the majority of serious conditions resulting from COVID could be prevented by vaccination, which means the delay in providing care for the man who was shot as well as others in similar situations could be avoided.

So, if vaccination could prevent such a situation, why shouldn't it become mandatory in areas with a particularly large number of infections? From the viewpoint of a government or a person of responsibility toward the citizens of a given area, why shouldn't vaccines be mandated in a situation like this?

Note that I myself am unsure about the idea of mandating COVID vaccines. However, this man's case and multiple others lead me to believe a solid case could be made for mandatory vaccination.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

It's what triage is all about.

It's never first come first serve.

That's why I think this thread is disingenuous in this regard.

To explain, anybody in more serious condition will be treated first regardless of the affliction.

It reminds me of trying to get "like-points" to confirm if they are not with us they're against us. If someone changed their mind to vaccinate after saying they would, they'd probably be shunned. I will be honest. Sounds like cult mentality.

 

[Debater Slayer]

The man would ideally be in the ER and the COVID patient in ICU. They treat acute immediate problems first. If the covid person is stable they move on to those in need. Joint effort.

If the solution were that simple, I don't think he would have had to wait about a week so far in order to be operated on. The issue of hospitals' being overwhelmed with COVID cases so much as to compromise medical care both for further COVID patients and patients who have other diseases isn't unique to this man's situation either:

COVID-Overwhelmed Hospitals Strain Staff and Hope to Avoid Rationing Care

'Tired to the bone': Hospitals overwhelmed with virus cases

Hospitals Face A Shortage Of Nurses As COVID Cases Soar

 

[Debater Slayer]

It reminds me of trying to get "like-points" to confirm if they are not with us they're against us. If someone changed their mind to vaccinate after saying they would, they'd probably be shunned. I will be honest. Sounds like cult mentality.

I'm far more interested in the current medical evidence and discussions contemplating the best approach toward patients in light of that than in caring about whether or not I should "shun" anyone for a poorly thought out decision. My own parents are unvaccinated, and I find these discussions useful to me on a personal level. So if you prefer to discuss any perceived "cult mentality" or focus on discussing anything besides medical evidence and the well-being of patients (both unvaccinated and vaccinated), then this thread is not really the best place for that.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

If the solution were that simple, I don't think he would have had to wait about a week so far in order to be operated on. The issue of hospitals' being overwhelmed with COVID cases so much as to compromise medical care both for further COVID patients and patients who have other diseases isn't unique to this man's situation either:

COVID-Overwhelmed Hospitals Strain Staff and Hope to Avoid Rationing Care

'Tired to the bone': Hospitals overwhelmed with virus cases

Hospitals Face A Shortage Of Nurses As COVID Cases Soar

If the guy had a life and death immediate trauma they would focus (rather) on the guy before the COVID patient. COVID patients aren't special cause they have COVID... Beds don't come first come first serve. Unless the hospital is unethical giving beds to COVID cases without half being critical ill, it's by symptom severity.