Paris doctors say Covid overload may force them to choose between patients

Soaring Covid-19 infections are set to overwhelm the Paris region's 1,800 intensive care units "within days", according to doctors, who fear they may be forced to select which patients they have the resources to treat. 

Medical staff members work in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) where patients suffering from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) are treated at the Melun-Senart hospital, near Paris, France, March 8, 2021. REUTERS - BENOIT TESSIER

"We cannot remain silent without betraying the Hippocratic Oath," doctors with the Paris region's public hospital service (AP-HP) said in a statement. 

"We may be forced to choose between all patients, whether they suffer from Covid-19 or not, with priority for adults in a critical condition...in order to save as many lives as possible," said the 41 signatories of the statement, adding that they had never been faced with such a situation – even during the peak of the first Covid-19 wave in 2020. 

L'agence régionale de santé (ARS) a demandé aux hôpitaux d'Île-de-France "d'anticiper une montée en charge du nombre de lits" de soins critiques avec un objectif de 2.200 lits disponibles pour accueillir les malades du Covid-19 #AFP pic.twitter.com/XtytqOtq85

— Agence France-Presse (@afpfr) March 23, 2021

Cancellations

The statement goes on to say that selection of patients has, in fact, already begun with the cancellation or postponement of non-critical surgery, where patients suffering from acute Covid-19 symptoms are brought forward on the waiting list.

Covid-19 figures France for 27 March 2021. 42,619 new cases in one day. © Screengrab Santé Publique France

The Ile-de-France regional health agency said it plans to increase the total number of intensive care beds available to Covid patients to 2,200, but no date was given.