Hospitals consider do-not-resuscitate order for coronavirus patients

One of the biggest problems brought by the Chinese coronavirus pandemic, which already has killed hundreds and infected thousands, is the potential for medical facilities to be overwhelmed.

Some hospitals already face shortages of beds, face masks, protective gowns, gloves and other equipment.

One solution hospitals are considering is do-not-resuscitate orders for coronavirus victims.

The International Business Times reports that under such a policy, health care providers would be instructed "to not perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to restore the work of the heart and lungs when the patient stops breathing."

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The report said Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago already is considering the policy.

"It's a major concern for everyone. This is something about which we have had lots of communication with families, and I think they are very aware of the grave circumstances," Richard Wunderink, a medical directors at Northwestern, told the Washington Post.

Officials are reviewing whether the law would allow them to do that.

George Washington University Hospital in Washington, D.C., also is considering the policy. As an interim measure, doctors use plastic sheeting over patients to create a "barrier," the report said.

The Gateway Pundit blog summed up the problem: "The hospital officials are citing that their staff is at high risk of getting exposed to the deadly virus as there is low supply of protective equipment."