Opinion: Close IV hydration bars until the intravenous fluid shortage ends

Normally, hospitals are, well, flush with IV fluids. But right now, that isn’t the case. In addition to the physical damage to many hospitals and clinics in the region, Hurricane Helene knocked out one of the primary manufacturing plants for IV solutions. The Baxter manufacturing plant in Marion, N.C., which produces about 60% of the IV solutions for the U.S., is not currently operational.

Now, with Hurricane Milton likely put additional stressors on the health care systems in Florida and other affected states, hospital leaders have called on the Biden administration to declare a national emergency around IV fluids.

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