# What counts as a "COVID patient" in a hospital bed? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Quarantine Zone\ **Tags:** covid-quarantine\ **Created:** [August 30, 2021, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-counts-as-a-covid-patient-in-a-hospital-bed/949764 "2021-08-30T11:00:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2021, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-counts-as-a-covid-patient-in-a-hospital-bed/949764/1 "2021-08-30T11:00:58Z")
I’ve seen the claim that statistics regarding hospital resource utilization by COVID patients are being overstated, in that a patient occupying a bed for treatment of something other than COVID (e.g. a stroke) will be put in the category of “COVID patient” if they test positive for the coronavirus - even if they are asymptomatic. Can anyone confirm whether this is a common practice (or that it happens at all)? ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2021, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-counts-as-a-covid-patient-in-a-hospital-bed/949764/2 "2021-08-30T11:40:05Z")
If a patient tests positive for COVID - no matter what brought them to the hospital - they are placed in COVID isolation and are occupying a “COVID bed”. I’m certain this is universal practice. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2021, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-counts-as-a-covid-patient-in-a-hospital-bed/949764/3 "2021-08-30T12:09:12Z")
I’m not sure how that’s “overstating” things, either. If a patient has a highly contagious disease, they’re going to need more resources, even if they’re in the hospital for another reason. You can’t just stick them anywhere you please. They’re clearly a risk to patients and staff who aren’t infected. ETA: Also, in light of stories of [hospitals running low on oxygen](https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/29/health/us-coronavirus-sunday/index.html), it boggles the mind that this sort of conspiracy theory gets any traction. ---
**Author:** ![Tfletch1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tfletch1/32/5340_2.png) [@Tfletch1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tfletch1)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2021, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-counts-as-a-covid-patient-in-a-hospital-bed/949764/4 "2021-08-30T17:11:01Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > If a patient tests positive for COVID - no matter what brought them to the hospital - they are placed in COVID isolation and are occupying a “COVID bed”. > > I’m certain this is universal practice. > > mmm Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. They have to be put in isolation and away from other patients to prevent spread. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2021, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-counts-as-a-covid-patient-in-a-hospital-bed/949764/5 "2021-08-30T19:13:09Z")
If by “away from other patients” you mean not in the same room, that is correct. On the other hand, hospital units that house immunocompromised patients would not place any COVID cases in that area. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Tfletch1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tfletch1/32/5340_2.png) [@Tfletch1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tfletch1)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2021, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-counts-as-a-covid-patient-in-a-hospital-bed/949764/6 "2021-08-30T21:48:43Z")
I’m assuming they have a completely different ICU that is physically separated from the regular ICU and has separate nursing/physician staff. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2021, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-counts-as-a-covid-patient-in-a-hospital-bed/949764/7 "2021-08-31T01:15:34Z")
Not in my experience. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Tfletch1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tfletch1/32/5340_2.png) [@Tfletch1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tfletch1)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2021, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-counts-as-a-covid-patient-in-a-hospital-bed/949764/8 "2021-08-31T01:31:10Z")
Good god! 😲 ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2021, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-counts-as-a-covid-patient-in-a-hospital-bed/949764/9 "2021-08-31T02:03:05Z")
What I’ve seen is that the COVID patients are in the same ICU as non-COVID patients, but in negative pressure rooms, so isolated from other patients.