The dark side of ventilators

Those hooked up for long periods face difficult recoveries, Although the machines can mean the difference between life or death, they often cause other complications.

People who survive the most dire cases of disease caused by the novel coronavirus are about to learn one of the cruelest lessons of the pandemic:

After defeating the virus, the really hard part begins.

For weeks, state and local officials and hospitals have cried out for more ventilators to save the severely ill.

But medical experts say that while the machines can make the difference between life or death, they are hardly a magic bullet.

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