Utah hospitals are preparing for the worst-case scenario: Rationing care in ICUs for a rising number of COVID-19 cases

If there’s one thing I’m proud of in this unprecedented year of COVID-19, it’s been the work I’ve contributed to The Salt Lake Tribune’s coverage of the coronavirus pandemic.

I shared a byline in the Sunday paper on Oct. 25 with Erin Alberty on a story that MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow called “horrifying”: The dire warnings from Utah’s hospitals that in the next week or so, given the rise in COVID-19 cases in the state, they may have to ask the state’s permission to start rationing care.

A paragraph from the article:

“The chief medical officers were very clear: They were asking us to be prepared for that,” said Joe Dougherty, spokesman for Utah’s Division of Emergency Management. A spokesperson for Herbert said Friday, “We are not there yet, but we are too close, uncomfortably close.”

To be fair, Erin did the bulk of the work on the story; I just helped out here and there.

I’ve done a lot of that in the past week. On Friday, my colleague Leia Larsen and I teamed on a story — she covered a news conference where health care workers described the dire situation, while I tallied up the daily numbers, which included a new single-day record. On Thursday, I helped out covering Gov. Gary Herbert’s weekly news conference, where state officials again implored Utahns to wear their masks and practice social distancing.

We have a great team of reporters at The Salt Lake Tribune. I consider myself lucky to be in their company.

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More coronavirus-related stories I’ve written in recent weeks:

• The Utah Symphony announced on Oct. 12 that Thierry Fischer, its principal conductor and musical director, has extended his contract to August 2023. The move is to ensure continuity while the symphony searches for his successor — a search made more difficult by the pandemic.

• Utah’s haunted houses are still open this Halloween season — though they’ve had to change their practices in light of COVID-19.

• Festival of Trees, Utah’s annual Christmas event, will move into Vivint Smart Home Arena for 2020 — though most fans will see it online, as organizers plan a virtual event because of COVID-19.

• Trans-Siberian Orchestra, the combination of rocking Christmas music and laser lights that’s a hit with Utah audiences, isn’t touring this year because of the pandemic — but the group is planning a streaming concert on Dec. 18.