Alaska allows hospitals to ration care amid COVID spike

By MARK THIESSEN
Associated Press

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Alaska has activated emergency crisis protocols that allow 20 health care facilities to ration care if needed. Saturday’s declaration comes as the state has recorded the nation’s worst COVID-19 diagnosis rates in the U.S. in recent days, straining the state’s limited health care system. The declaration covers three facilities that had already declared emergency protocols, including the state’s largest hospital, Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage. Factors that led the state to activate the crisis of care standards include scarce medical resources at some facilities, limited staff and difficulty transferring patients because of limited bed availability. Other factors include limited renal replacement therapy and oxygen supplies.