Let's bring an emergency physician in ABC news medical contributor doctor Darian sentence for the latest on the pandemic doctor Sutton U. Hi there in the emergency room in LA this city struggling cell Harden the whole county really like so much of the country. They're trying to keep up with Kobe patient demand but also vaccine distribution what are some of the challenges you are facing Paul. Good afternoon that and some of the challenges haven't seen here in LA are very similar sort of challenges all while working as a physician in New York City during the initial damage in March April it's a deficiency of resources our space and staff. As far as resources. There are many more patients requiring things like supplemental oxygen. And there are many hospitals especially the smaller community hospitals that are suffering from a shortage. As far as stays there are simply more patients that are reporting hospitalization general hospital beds available so we're erecting tents outside of hospitals in order to accommodate bass and a staff becomes sick inevitably some their exposure of this virus that work within the community we're manipulating our on call schedule is a better handle that's. And let's talk about their shortages because states are reported in LA does even have enough to backs in all the health care workers. And just a different of mine who's a teacher New York was told her Clinton was canceled due to a sudden decrease. In supply but you know according to the CDC less than half of the available doses have been administered so what's going on. I think that like was said before this is proving to be a logistical headache and an incredibly complicated process I think it comes down to the community level. Unfortunately. The department of health better handle any media vaccination process or also tasked with the process. Contact tracing and trusting and helping to manage speed does treatment of this disease I think we can here in Elliott what I can speak to is that. We your tasks are departments with not only treating these surges that we are seeing and B. These shortages of equipment and supplies from staff that we have. But also simultaneously we've. Trying to vaccination push groups of people so hopefully with more cooperation in federal assistance. And also more cooperation from private sectors as we saw Dodger Stadium and now that we're hearing not Disneyland is going to open up and reports with Six Flags helping us out. Hopefully we'll start to see more improvement in getting this vaccine from the shelves and into people's. Arms and the CDC is warning that the more transmissible. UK variant of the virus could become the predominant strain. By march what are the potential repercussions of that. I'm incredibly hopeful that this is not half bad but I'm also very scared to what we know so far is that the projections that we're seeing from the UK bearing of this strain. Could possibly mean that we could have even more but I that we have to put up with here in LA we know that this is associated with the possibility of increased transmits ability but luckily we have not seen any increased risk of harm or death the patient secondary to this new strain. Affirmed for my patients and for my community members that are asking each it is really difficult to track this speaker that would involve genetic testing patients presenting with these symptoms right now we have to do what we know work stats which is mitigating our efforts. Resisting shredding transmission of Bucyrus by wearing masks stopping unnecessary travel avoiding indoor gatherings and washing your hands. My doctor Darian sent an always great to have you thank you. Thank you.