BUFFALO, N.Y. — Nurses and other healthcare workers tell 2 On Your Side their biggest concern in treating patients with COVID-19 is catching the virus and bringing it home to their families.
They count largely on personal protective equipment (PPE) such as masks and gowns to keep that from happening.
The supply of those items is also of concern.
Keeping healthcare workers healthy
“It’s not so much with the supply available now, but the question of will enough PPE be there when it’s absolutely crunch time that I think is the worry,” said Jim Scordato, vice president of SEIU Local 1199’s hospital division, which represents 6,000 health care workers in Western New York.
The apex of the virus outbreak, based on current models, is estimated to perhaps occur in another two weeks.
Meanwhile, CWA Local 1133, which represents close to 2,600 hospital workers in the region, is expressing concern with changing CDC guidelines which are allowing hospitals to stretch their supply of N95 masks.
“The guidelines now say they are needed under circumstances where there is intubation or droplet exposure, whereas a month ago it was when you had someone who could possibly be infected,” said CWA Local 1133 President Deborah Arnet.
"They have literally loosened their standards in order to basically conserve PPE, let’s face it,” said Arnet. “It’s hard to explain to people who last month were being told that if they went into a room where a person was suspected of having COVID-19 they were supposed to wear an N95, and then a couple of weeks later your telling me I don’t need an N95, only if a patient is being intubated or whatever. It’s a standard that didn’t exist literally a month ago. So their concern is they want to be protected at the highest level that we saw a month ago and it’s hard for me to agree with the level or standard in effect right now.”
Growing number of hospitalizations
Sources tell us that after going “live” last Thursday, the first of the six ICU's at St. Joseph’s Campus in Cheektowaga was filled with 14 patients by Sunday night, with more expected.
The facility was established by Catholic Health as the regions first dedicated COVID-19 treatment center.
Scordato said roughly 1,000 members of his unit have volunteered for assignment there.
Meanwhile, Kaleida Health said late Monday that it had 33 coronavirus patients at Buffalo General and Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital with 15 of those patients in ICU's.
“Our ICU's at Kenmore Mercy and (South Buffalo) Mercy hospitals are also filling up,” said Arnet.
Cuomo pleads for help
Amid the backdrop of a growing number of hospitalizations in Western New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo pleaded with healthcare workers to voluntarily go to New York City, which has become the epicenter of the outbreak nationally, and help doctors and nurses there.
Cuomo has also suggested that he may direct hospitals in New York City to send COVID-19 patients to less crowded health care facilities upstate
“I am asking… if you don’t have a health care crisis in your community please come help us,” Cuomo said on Monday.
“We need relief for nurses who are working 12-hour shifts," Cuomo said. "We need relief for our doctors and attendants, so if you are not busy come help us, please, and we will return the favor."
“Yeah…. we don’t have any to spare,” said Arnet.
"I can’t see people from our area shifting downstate,” agreed Scordato. “So that would be a surprise if that happened."
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