Colorado governor authorizes hospitals to turn away patients because of COVID-19 surge

Colorado hospitals can turn away patients as state grapples with covid-19 surge Colorado's governor said hospitals can turn away new admissions as they deal with a surge of covid-19 cases that has strained the state's hospitals. Gov. Jared Polis, D, signed an executive order over the weekend authorizing the state's public health department to determine whether hospitals or emergency departments are at or will soon hit capacity. The department can order such facilities to halt admissions and redirect or transfer patients, according to the order, which will be in effect for 3 YahooNews

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The move highlights the continued trouble parts of the country face, even as numbers at the national level suggest that the delta-variant-driven surge that swamped emergency rooms this summer and fall has started to ebb. Officials say the state's staffing shortages are also contributing to the burden from rising cases, and one bioethicist said the upward trend is particularly troubling without actions that can help bring numbers back down.

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