The bizarre side effect of Florida's out-of control Covid surge was revealed by the Tampa Bay water utility on Wednesday: It wasn't receiving enough liquid oxygen to treat its water. Over 17,000 Covid patients who require oxygen to live are now being treated in hospitals across the state. There isn't enough oxygen.
Even though vaccines are readily available, the pandemic in Florida is still very serious. Florida is currently experiencing over 20,000 deaths and more than 200 cases per day. This puts a tremendous strain on its hospitals. Only half of Florida's population has been fully vaccinated.
We know that the shortage of liquid oxygen is caused by a driver shortage, and the need for supplies to be diverted into local hospitals because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Brandon Moore, spokesperson for Tampa Bay Water, said this. Matheson Tri-Gas was not immediately available to comment on their request for oxygen. This follows a week in which Orlando's mayor requested residents limit their water consumption for the same reason.
Water problems are just a few of the many consequences of a pandemic now that primarily hospitalsizes the unvaccinated. This means that non-Covid patients will be seen in the ER less often and there will be fewer resources available for those who are not Covid.
Why do you need to add more oxygen to your H 2O? Tampa Bay Water transports liquid oxygen from the sea. It then converts it into gas and adds electricity to make ozone. Moore explains that the ozone is used at two different facilities for two distinct purposes. At a surface water treatment plant, it kills bacteria and viruses. At another plant, it breaks down hydrogen sulfuride, which is a naturally occurring gas that smells similar to rotten eggs.
Between the two facilities, the utility requires a lot of liquid oxygen. It can transport seven to nine truckloads of liquid oxygen per week. This is to disinfect the water and prevent it from smelling like hell. Moore says that liquid oxygen is converted to ozone and is the strongest disinfectant available in the water industry.
Moore states that Tampa Bay Waters' liquid oxygen supply has been cut by half. They are now diverting oxygen to the treatment plant in order to adequately disinfect the water. However, they can substitute sodium hypochlorite (also known as bleach) for the ozone at the plant which gets rid of hydrogen sulfide. The utility has asked customers to reduce their water usage, such as watering lawns or washing cars, due to the financial crunch. Moore says that this means there is less water required to meet demand. Moore says that it is important for residents to know that their drinking water quality remains safe.
It is also important for Covid patients to get the oxygen they require. Covid-19 harms the lungs by interfering in the flow of oxygen from the bloodstream to the brain and heart. You feel shortness of breath if your blood oxygen saturation is below 92 percent. The hospital uses a device called a "pulse oximeter" to measure oxygen saturation. It is placed over the finger of the patient and emits light beams to measure their blood oxygen. The Centers for Disease Control advises that doctors give supplemental oxygen to patients with Covid-19 if their saturation falls below 90 percent.
