Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Hurricane Milton Sparks Hospital Evacuations, Affecting Thousands
Dozens of health care facilities in Florida are suspending services and/or preparing to evacuate as Hurricane Milton approaches. On Sunday, Pinellas County 鈥 located on the west central Florida coast and including Clearwater and St. Petersburg 鈥 issued mandatory evacuation orders for long-term care facilities, assisted living facilities and hospitals in three evacuation zones. The order affects six hospitals, 25 nursing homes and 44 assisted living facilities, totaling about 6,600 patients, according to the order. (Kekatos, 10/7)
Tampa General Hospital, the region鈥檚 only Level I Trauma Center, wrote in an 11:30 a.m. Monday update that it has activated its emergency response plan. ... Much like during Helene, those preparations include a central energy plant built to withstand a Category 5 hurricane, supply stores and an 鈥淎quaFence鈥 barrier able to withstand up to 15-foot storm surges. (Muoio, 10/7)
Among the Tampa Bay locals who were killed in Hurricane Helene, almost all shared a tragic trait in common: they were over 60 years old. Nearly all of them lived in mandatory evacuation zones, but didn鈥檛 leave. Many also had mobility issues, such as needing walkers to get around. Jeff Johnson, the state director for AARP Florida, which advocates for people over the age of 50, said that in addition to physical hurdles, older adults also may have a harder time, emotionally, leaving their homes and not knowing what it鈥檒l look like when they come back. (Mahoney and Garcia, 10/7)
The federal government could be nearing a collapse of its ability to help with major disasters as the second catastrophic hurricane in less than two weeks bears down on Florida. Hurricane Milton, a Category 5 storm whose winds reached 180 mph late Monday, is whirling toward a possible landfall in Tampa Bay just as the main federal disaster programs are facing financial instability amid a series of recent calamities, including Hurricane Helene鈥檚 flooding of communities throughout the Southeast. (Frank, 10/7)
On the aftermath of Hurricane Helene 鈥
The American Hospital Association is calling on the White House to help increase the supply of IV solutions after a massive Baxter International plant was taken offline by Hurricane Helene. Baxter's Marion, N.C., facility 鈥 which produces 60% of the IV solutions used daily 鈥 was closed聽due to flooding caused by the hurricane late last month and it is uncertain when the plant will reopen. (DeSilva, 10/7)
