Hospital patients spotted waiting outside before getting treatment in San Bernardino County

Surge tents set up at San Antonio Regional Hospital

The state reported yesterday that Southern California's ICU capacity dropped to zero percent.

SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY, Calif. - It was 45°F and hospital patients were bundled in blankets and sitting in chairs outside the San Antonio Regional Medical Center.

Surge tents in the area where ambulances usually park were already pretty full, every seat in the waiting room was taken, every bed was filled: from the emergency room, the waiting area, the ICU to the hospital rooms.

"This is what I want people to see when they say this surge is not real, or that COVID-19 is just a minor thing," says Dr. Sara Khan, Chief of Staff at the hospital. They explain in our story how much of the patient load is suffering from Covid-19.

"We have taken over several areas of the hospital, just to accommodate ICU patients," adds Khan.

They are asking people to go to the hospital emergency rooms, for serious emergencies: chest pains, possible heart attacks.

Otherwise, the Urgent Care Centers in San Bernardino are much better, and safer options.

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