Jimmy Kimmel Says Unvaccinated People Shouldn't Get ICU Beds
Jimmy Kimmel thinks hospitals should prioritize vaccinated people when filling ICU beds, and it’s kind of hard to argue with his logic
With the delta variant of the coronavirus still driving a nationwide surge in infections that has yet to end, Jimmy Kimmel returned to late-night after his summer hiatus and offered some pretty blunt thoughts on the terrifying idea that hospitals may soon have to start rationing out ICU beds. And honestly, it’s hard to argue with the guy.
During his opening monologue, Kimmel referenced comments made by Dr. Fauci after cases over Labor Day weekend were 300 percent higher than on Labor Day last year.
“Dr. Fauci said if hospitals get any more crowded, they’re going to have to make some very tough choices about who gets an ICU bed,” Kimmel said. “That choice doesn’t seem so tough to me. Vaccinated person having a heart attack? Yes, come right on in. We’ll take care of you. Unvaccinated guy who gobbled horse goo? Rest in peace, wheezy.”
Kimmel was referring to people who, despite warning from the FDA and CDC against doing so, have taken ivermectin, a livestock dewormer, after conspiracy theories online called it a preventative treatment against COVID-19.
Kimmel’s comments didn’t stop there. He continued, “We’ve still got a lot of pan-dimwits out there. People are still taking this ivermectin. The poison control center has seen a spike in calls from people taking this livestock medicine to fight the coronavirus, but they won’t take the vaccine. It’s like if you’re a vegan and you’re like, ‘No, I don’t want a hamburger, give me that can of Alpo instead.'”
Kimmel’s take might sound harsh, but when you remember what his family has endured, it makes a lot more sense. Kimmel’s three-year-old son, Billy, was born with a congenital heart defect. During his short life, he’s already spent months in hospitals. You can imagine how terrifying it must be to Kimmel to wonder if his son will be able to get an ICU bed if he needs it.
I can also relate. Much of my family lives in North Idaho, where hospitals last week were forced to implement what they call “crisis standards of care.” That means healthcare providers are officially saying they don’t have the resources to treat everyone, and they’ll have to start rationing beds and care in communities where the vaccination rate is as low as 35 percent. My family there is all vaccinated, but I’m terrified that they’ll need medical care for another reason. What if someone gets sick or gets in an accident?
The bottom line is that the crisis our hospitals are now facing is a preventable one. More than 97 percent of those hospitalized at this point in the pandemic are unvaccinated. We can end this. We just need more people to get vaccinated.
