Timcast IRL · March 26, 2020 · 2h 0m
TimcastIRL #34 - Hospitals Push Universal DO NOT RESUSCITATE Orders For Coronavirus Patients
Episode Recap
TimcastIRL episode 34, recorded on March 26, 2020, opened with Tim Pool, Ian Crossland, and Lydia discussing the rapidly evolving coronavirus pandemic. The hosts immediately pivoted to what Tim described as one of the scariest stories he had ever encountered: reports from the Washington Post that hospitals were considering universal Do Not Resuscitate orders for coronavirus patients. The discussion delved into the grim reality of ventilator treatments, with hosts describing how patients' lungs fill with fluid and ventilators at maximum pressure can cause alveoli to burst, actually causing harm. The economic panic was equally central to the conversation, with April 1st rent approaching and major chains like the Cheesecake Factory announcing they would not pay rent, triggering concerns about cascading financial impacts on landlords and maintenance workers. The hosts analyzed New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's reported hospitalization statistics, noting that with only 10,600 ICU beds available in a metropolitan area of 8-13 million people, hospital capacity could be quickly overwhelmed. The tone mixed genuine alarm about the medical crisis with dark humor, including discussion of custom beanie shirts the hosts had received.
TL;DR
- →Hospitals considering universal DNR orders for coronavirus patients, raising ethical concerns about patient abandonment during the pandemic
- →Ventilators at maximum pressure can cause alveoli to burst and worsen patient outcomes, with some patients turning blue despite maximum oxygen
- →Major retailers like the Cheesecake Factory announcing they won't pay April rent, triggering fears of economic ripple effects
- →New York City faces potential hospital capacity crisis with only 10,600 ICU beds for 8-13 million metro area residents
- →April 1st rent deadline approaching with millions of Americans having missed paychecks due to shutdowns
- →Trump's comments about reopening the economy by Easter contrasted with Surgeon General's warnings about severity of outbreak
Key Moments
- 0:00Opening and COVID-19 FearsHosts open with casual banter, then pivot to the terrifying news about hospitals and coronavirus
- 12:00Ventilator Horror StoriesDetailed discussion of how ventilators damage lungs and patients slowly turn blue despite treatment
- 25:00Economic Collapse ConcernsAnalysis of April 1st rent crisis and Cheesecake Factory not paying rent
- 45:00Hospital Capacity AnalysisExamining Cuomo's statistics on NYC hospital beds versus population
- 60:00Ripple Effect DiscussionHow missed rent payments cascade through landlord, maintenance, and service economies
Notable Quotes
“Before we get started with the first story, which is one of the scariest things I have ever heard... Hospitals are basically saying, you die. You die.”
— Tim Pool · opening the main discussion
“20% hospitalization rate means if we don't have hospitals, the mortality rate's like 20%. That's true. If somebody needs to be in a hospital because they're collapsing.”
— Tim Pool · explaining hospitalization statistics
“What they're saying is when they put people on the ventilators at max pressure, it starts breaking up all the little balloons. They'll die.”
— Ian Crossland · explaining ventilator damage to lungs
“April 1st is days away and many people have just skipped a paycheck or more. Nobody's worked for the past week and a half, two weeks. Most people can't handle a $400 bill, let alone two weeks of not working.”
— Tim Pool · economic impact discussion
“All these landlords waiting for that money to pay their bills, boom, that's when it hits. It's gonna ripple out like a gong slam.”
— Ian Crossland · describing economic cascade