I believe what Cuomo and others say here. Many or even most Covid-19 patients will probably be on ventilators for a prolonged amount of time and will die anyway.

“If we’re able to make them better without intubating them, they are more likely to have a better outcome — we think,” Habboushe said."

Well, yes.

This is to say nothing of the fact (actually it was mentioned) that being put on a ventilator is not therapeutic. I believe I read in someone's post (I forget whose) that it causes serious lifetime damage.

I do not want to be put on a ventilator.

In fact, I would refuse it if I knew of a legal and practical way.

There is: "DNR." There is an equivalent for: do not incubate (DNI?).

How can a person communicate his or her desires regarding both of these and have them actually followed by hospitals and doctors? I don't know.

quote:

do not incubate (DNI?).

intubate ... intubate.

DNI is a standing order one can give to the hospital.

No comment.

Interesting piece on the local news here. Seems that what's being observed is that the lungs remain elastic, but that oxygen levels are low. Some docs think that trying to improve oxygenation, but not necessarily raise to normal levels, is a better way to go rather than heading straight to intubation.

https://wgntv.com/news/coronav...ed-doctors-weigh-in/

I was just reading about how now docs are trying different things to bring oxygen levels up and avoid intubation as long as possible... and now I can't find what I reading. I think it was on NYT...

Anyway, the techniques mentioned include having the person lie on their stomach or sit up, or use a pregnancy bed, all of which are supposed to give the lungs more room and less pressue than you would have lying on your back. The article mentioned something called "proning," which is leaning forward...

Anyway, hopefully some of this pans out, while simultaneously being supported by science, and hopefully it improves treatment and outcomes.

My DO posted instructions on how to relieve the lungs the way it was done in the days before ventilators, and it does indeed involve bending the patient forward. At home you can lie over a tipped chair.