In a positive sign that the tide may be turning in the war against the coronavirus, one Santa Clara County hospital is now taking down its surge tents.
Good Samaritan Hospital was the first to put up the overflow tents about six weeks ago, anticipating a surge in coronavirus cases. The hospital had one of the very first coronavirus patients in California.
“The number of cases in the hospital and in the ICU have decreased week by week, and we’re resuming normal operations,” says hospital spokesperson Sarah Sherwood. “So it was time for the tents to come down.”
But the outbreak still presents a threat in the Bay Area and particularly in Santa Clara County, which has been hit harder than the rest of the region.
“Our other hospital - Regional Medical Center San Jose - is still being hit hard and they’re doing all they can to fight the virus,” says Sherwood. “But we at Good Samaritan have seen patient loads decrease week after week.”
Health officials say it is not yet time to return to normal routines and remind the public to continue with social distancing. Mariana Moles with the Santa Clara County Health Department says some residents may be getting too relaxed.
“The six feet is for when you go to the grocery store or you go to get medications. It’s not for having happy hours in your front yard or visiting your sister and her kids in their driveway,” says Moles. “We can see the 101 and there are way too many cars on there. And unless a lot more people became essential workers, you all are bending the rules a little bit.”
Sherwood says while the tents are coming down, the hospital is keeping them in storage in case they are needed again.