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Doctors in Northern California say they’ve seen more deaths from suicide than from the coronavirus during the pandemic.
“The numbers are unprecedented,” Dr. Mike deBoisblanc of John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek, Calif., told an ABC affiliate.
"We've never seen numbers like this, in such a short period of time," he said. "I mean we've seen a year's worth of suicide attempts in the last four weeks."
DeBoisblanc told the news outlet he thinks California should end the stay-at-home order.
"Personally, I think it's time," he said. "I think, originally, this was put in place to flatten the curve and to make sure hospitals have the resources to take care of COVID patients. We have the current resources to do that, and our other community health is suffering."
Trauma nurse Kacey Hansen agreed.
"What I have seen recently, I have never seen before," Hansen said. "I have never seen so much intentional injury."
In a statement, John Muir Health said the organization supports the shelter-in-place order in the Bay Area.
"We realize there are a number of opinions on this topic, including within our medical staff, and John Muir Health encourages our physicians and staff to participate constructively in these discussions,” it said.
The shelter-in-place order is currently set to expire at 11:59 p.m. on May 31.
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