Does this sound right? Only 50 cases in Orange County FL and hospitals running out of supplies

[Roland99]

https://www.wesh.com/article/orange-county-health-officials-hospitals-running-low-on-supplies/31906067

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. —
Orange County health officials said local hospitals are running low on masks and gloves.

Officials said they are getting small shipments, but if things get worse, they’re going to need more.

Dr. Yolanda Martinez said officials have asked the state for more medical supplies but so far have only received a fraction of what they need.

"We did receive PPE's. We received N95 masks. We received gowns and gloves. A very small amount, if we consider the need. About 9,000 or so,” Martinez said.

I really fear how many cases there actually are here. No way we’re testing everyone that’s infected.

[pat_k]

1. CA is only testing if the results affect treatment.

At least that was the latest criteria I heard there. May have changed by now. In any case, CA is waaaayyyy behind WA and NY in number of tests per 10,000 people, so they simply haven't detected even a fraction of the cases. (And even in CA and WA, detected cases are undoubtedly far behind real numbers of cases out there.)

I also think they are looking at current supplies relative to anticipated needs. From the article, it doesn't sound like they are "running out" right now, but expect to as hospitalizations spike.

[GulfCoast66]

2. No surprise. Our entire nation's supply train has been run by MBAs and Industrial Engineers.

Just in time inventory is used everywhere because keeping stock on hand is inefficient. And it’s true. I’ve been a part of it at my workplace which doesn’t involving lifesaving equipment. If you use 100 of this widget a week you get in 100 a week. With maybe a 10% extra on hand. But the extra on hand gets squeezed more every year to control cost. And there is nothing nefarious about it. It does make you more efficient.

But no one gamed in a pandemic. I mean yeah, some people were warning about it but in the drive to keep cost low those voices are ignored.

It’s a lack of imagination vs the need to reduce costs. Yeah, maybe someday it will be desirable to have 4 months supply on hand, but that knowledge dies when confronted with keeping spending low.

And keep in mind our largest hospital chain here in central Florida is nonprofit. The fact they are run by the 7th Day Adventist, while concerning, is for another post.

[Roland99]

3. +1

[dalton99a]

4. +1

[Amishman]

6. yup, JIT inventory is just one symptom of modern business management practices

Everything is planned for maximum efficiency with no redundancy, to maximize the bottom line

We see it in inventory, as this example painfully demonstrates.

We also see it in staffing. No redundancy, no lack in the workload. Have enough people to barely get it done with 100% of the team working. What if someone gets sick an leaves? we'll just have a few people cross trained and swap them in... no admission that most job skills are 'use it or lose it' and that knowing the background matters.

[spinbaby]

5. I know a nurse in Orange County

Today she’s spending her day off sewing masks. She says hepa vacuum bags can be cut up to line the masks.

[Flaleftist]

8. It may have something to do with all the non-healthcare workers buying masks and gloves.

[logosoco]

9. My daughter works in administration at a major university

in the infectious disease research department. She noticed in January that ordering the masks was becoming difficult. Now it seems like the heads of the departments are having to worry about this what used to be mundane things, when we need them to be doing the BIG stuff like...infectious disease research!!!!!