Three hospitals in Mississippi and Alabama have shut down MRI services entirely due to helium supply depletion, according to the American College of Radiology's letter to HHS on Wednesday. Thirty-four additional hospitals across fourteen states have reduced MRI operating hours. The helium supply chain runs through the Strait of Hormuz via Qatari LNG byproduct. [1]

The Times front-paged the chip shortage. The hospital closures appeared in paragraph fourteen. On X, the hospital angle was the story.

-- RINA TANAKA, Osaka