'I couldn't breathe': Santa Fe woman reports oxygen tank shortage after COVID-19 hospital stay

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Angela Byers had spent a week at the CHRISTUS St. Vincent Regional Medical center before being released and sent home with a short supply of oxygen. | Adobe Stock

Santa Fe resident Angela Byres is recovering from a low oxygen tank supply following a stay at the hospital for COVID-19. 

Byres told KRQE that she had spent a week at the CHRISTUS St. Vincent Regional Medical Center before being released and sent home with a short supply of oxygen.

“It was actually at the point where I couldn’t breathe,” Bryes told KRQE.

After contacting a medical supply store to get more oxygen tanks, Byres told the station that it assured her they would send four tanks the next day. When she had not received the tanks the following day, Byres contacted the supply store again and was told that they had no more oxygen tanks in stock and could not get any more.  

While the supply store was not getting any more deliveries, they said they could only make emergency deliveries due to the shortage, according to the report.

Byres’ sister, who works at a hospital herself, was able to acquire more oxygen tanks, though new concerns have come up that Byers could not be the only one who has been facing difficulties obtaining essential oxygen tanks. 

“I know I’m not the only person experiencing this,” Byres told KRQE.