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Coronavirus Pennsylvania: Leaders Send Letter To Gov. Tom Wolf Asking For Help, Hospital Equipment As Presumed Peak Approaches

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Pennsylvania leaders are preparing for the peak of the coronavirus pandemic. They've sent an urgent letter to Gov. Tom Wolf asking for help and hospital equipment as COVID-19 cases are expected to surge.

What local leaders are asking for is patient and ventilator "load balancing," which is taking place in other states like New York and Michigan.

It means that more rural or less affected areas of the commonwealth would be asked to supply their resources if the need arises.

In a letter marked with the seals of Pennsylvania's five southeastern regions, leaders appealed to Wolf for help, as the presumed peak of the COVID-19 caseload approaches.

"In New York, all public and private hospitals across the state have agreed to implement a balanced approach to transfer patients to hospitals with excess capacity when a hospital is near or exceeds capacity. Additionally, supplies, staff and other resources will be shared as needed," the letter described.

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The plea from the counties of Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery, plus the City of Philadelphia, was written with urgency.

The peak need for ventilators and ICU beds is expected to take place in Pennsylvania on April 15, and the peak demand for general hospital beds on April 18.

"To be best prepared for the projected surge in patients, the citizens and healthcare institutions of this Commonwealth require a system which will equalize patient loads between individual facilities," stated the letter that was signed by each county chair and Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney.

In the letter, hospital bed space was deemed adequate across the commonwealth, but "ICU bed needs are likely to exceed availability by approximately 11% from April 10-20."

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Dr. Sadia Benzaquen says the margin for an influx of care is small at Einstein Medical Center.

"We are actually working pretty much at the level at the maximum capacity," Dr. Benzaquen said

He agrees that there should be a plan in place to move patients to other Pennsylvania regions for care if need be.

The five counties concluded that letter to Wolf saying that sharing resources for just a short time could prevent a disaster later this month.

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