'We're consuming oxygen faster than we've ever consumed oxygen in hospitals before.'
MORE:Medicare and Medicaid patients get temporary access to telemedicine amid coronavirus crisis, but challenges remain
COVID-19 patients who are hospitalized can develop pneumonia and end up in respiratory distress. When breathing becomes difficult patients often require supplemental oxygen. But the spike in demand for oxygen by coronavirus cases directly impacts other non-coronavirus patients, and could strain oxygen resources for everyone who relies on it inside and outside the hospital, Papadakos told ABC News.
Air Products in the U.S. does not produce oxygen in tanks, according to George, but does provide oxygen to distributors who do."We are giving high priority to distributors who deliver oxygen to the medical industry and prioritizing fill scheduling to this safety sensitive and critical industry," George added.
He said it will be vital for hospital systems nationwide to keep a close eye on their current supply of oxygen, as if it were necessities like personal protective equipment, ventilators, regularly used medications and other resources related to COVID-19 -- as well as their supply chains. Current and potential shortages with which states like New York are dealing may become the problems of other states soon when their own surge begins, Ferraro said.
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