Hospital ship USNS Comfort changes criteria for patients
The U.S. Navy hospital ship brought to New York City to help hospitals overwhelmed with the coronavirus pandemic is changing its criteria so it can take on non-COVID-19 cases more quickly.
The 1,000-bed USNS Comfort had only 20 patients as of Thursday night. In the city alone, there are more than 49,000 confirmed cases.During an appearance Friday on MSNBC's "Morning Joe," New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said he expects the number of patients on the ship to "change very rapidly."
"I'm sure that ship will be very full soon," he said. "They have to be smart about what cases they take and create a protocol that's going to work because it's going to get very busy, very quickly next week. So I'm convinced over the next few days they'll be prepared and they'll be filling up."
When the ship first arrived in the city on Monday, it was announced that the vessel would only take those who tested negative for the coronavirus.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/hospital-ship-usns-comfort-changes-criteria-for-patients/ar-BB128JSn?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=mailsignout
