Feb 10, 2020 - Health

U.S. hospitals begin preparing for the coronavirus

Caitlin Owens

A health worker at Suizhou Central Hospital in Suizhou, China. Photo: Xiao Yijiu/Xinhua via Getty Images

Even though the risk to Americans remains low, hospitals across the U.S. are making sure they're ready for the coronavirus, STAT reports.

Why it matters: If the virus does spread within the U.S., hospitals being caught flat-footed would be a travesty.

Details: Hospitals across the country are checking their emergency preparedness plans and meeting almost every day. They're making sure they have the staffing and supplies they'd need, reviewing inventories and educating staff on emergency protocols.

But as the New York Times notes, there's some concern about the fact that China supplies the U.S. with many vital medical supplies and medications.

What they're saying: "As we project outward with the potential for this to be a much longer situation, one of the things that we're actively working on is projecting the long-term needs for our health care system," Nancy Messonnier, director of Center for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, told reporters on Wednesday.

Go deeper: Coronavirus global death toll surpasses SARS

Add Axios on Google

U.S. hospitals begin preparing for the coronavirus

What to read next