Hospital in Springfield, Missouri, runs out of ventilators as COVID cases ravage the area

A hospital in Springfield, Missouri, ran out of ventilators for its patients over the Fourth of July weekend as the area, right in the middle of a COVID-19 hot spot, deals with a rise in cases.

On Monday, Mercy Springfield hospital officials reported that more ventilators had arrived, a second COVID-19 ICU unit was opened and that more respiratory therapists are needed to help the “tired” ones working now.

Situations like that, public health officials say, are avoidable if people would get vaccinated.