I didn't realize that, but you're probably right.

The point I was trying to make is that neither I, nor my roommate (the only other patient I've had a conversation with) realized exactly how bad of shape the hospitals were in until we showed up at the ER and experienced it in person. The relentless media coverage is easy to tune out after a while, but actually experiencing the effects of a COVID surge personally brings it home. I'm not sure how else to suggest someone experience a hospital as a non-patient..

No, my sister is an RN at a hospital in Los Angeles and vaccinations are optional for her. She is vaccinated, but if she wasn't, she would have to get a covid test twice a week. A few of her co-workers complained to administration that they don't want to be vaccinated, but now also complain that they now must be poked in the nose semi-weekly.

There are a surprising number of nurses that are unvaccinated (much more than Doctors, of which very few are unvaccinated).