Staff at St. Joe’s Forced to Reuse Some Types of Masks Due To PPE Shortage
![N95 face mask respirators. These respirators protect people who wear them by removing contaminants from the air. [CDC/ Debora Cartagena]](https://kymkemp.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/image2.png)
N95 face mask respirators. These respirators protect people who wear them by removing contaminants from the air. [Photo from the CDC Photographer Debora Cartagena]
A lack of respirator masks and basic PPE supply for frontline hospital staff, as well as first responders like paramedics and firefighters, is extremely concerning in terms of overall public health according to epidemiologists working for the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. This is echoed by the World Health Organization. It is a public health risk not only because these healthcare workers are face to face with the highly contagious virus and are potentially exposed at a much higher degree of inoculation than other essential workers, but because they are required to work with the general public while potentially carrying the virus themselves.
St. Joseph Hospital in Eureka has circulated an email from Chief Executive Dr. Roberta Luskin-Hawk which asks hospital staff, even frontline triage workers in the Emergency Department, to reuse their N95 masks until more can be secured through regular supply channels. Referred to as a “Universal Masking Policy”, this newly implemented policy is not the same as other identically named policies instituted by other California hospitals, such as the one detailed by UCSF, which encompasses all staff, visitors, delivery workers, and patients alike having mandatory access to appropriate masks. The new policy laid out for hospitals under the umbrella of Providence St. Joseph Health now allows for the reusing the N95 masks for the next day’s shift following a new sterilization process– which can result in the same mask being worn for a much longer time period than previously advised, and then again the next day for another lengthy shift at the hospital, potentially exposed to another day of Covid aerosol and droplet particles. The less protective paper surgical masks are NOT being reused, to clarify, and are being largely supplied at this time to hospital workers for regular use in accordance with new masking policy.
In an email recently sent to staff, St. Joseph Hospital CEO Roberta Luskin-Hawk explained the new policy for “Universal Masking” being implemented recently. The email reads in part, “With COVID-19 cases growing in Northern California and our success in securing sufficient supplies of masks, we will now move to a Universal Masking Policy effective April 2, 2020 with the morning shift. This new policy applies to caregivers who work in our acute ministries.”
In the message to employees, CEO Roberta Luskin-Hawk notes that the hospital group is hopeful that PPE supplies will be incoming from the national stockpile, as well as from the California Governor Gavin Newsom. She cautioned that until additional supplies arrive, staff are encouraged to reuse N95 masks. CEO Luskin-Hawk stated,
All caregivers are asked to wear a mask while working in clinical areas or in areas where food or supplies are handled. Caregivers in non-clinical shared spaces should maintain social distancing (6 ft. physical separation) or wear a mask. Again, it is vitally important that caregivers continue to conserve and reprocess masks to ensure we can sustain our Universal Masking Policy. Because this is a fluid situation, there is the possibility that we will need to scale back depending on supply levels.
Some hospitals in the area are receiving donations to keep them afloat, and as well as promoting a do-it-yourself policy, contrary to previous hospital regulations, allowing healthcare workers to source and use their own masks and personal protective equipment, if and when their employers are unable to provide it during this unprecedented run on supplies. Although this self-supplied masking policy has not been acceptable to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the past, it is being temporarily allowed due to the extreme nation-wide PPE supply crisis that has left medical care providers at a serious loss. This development came following demands by hospital staff, as well as the local branch of the California Nurses Association, and the National Union of Healthcare Workers who pressed local hospital executives for the change, because they did not have appropriate amounts of PPE available at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to a scientific brief filed March 29th by the World Health Organization titled “Modes of transmission of virus causing COVID-19: implications for IPC precaution recommendations” which is presented on the W.H.O. website, there is evidence that the virus can sustain viability as an aerosolized particle. The summary of the report states that the Coronavirus has been recently upgraded to “aerosolized” in various scientific studies, prompting the CDC to issue additional precautions related to PPE used in any treatment of a Coronavirus patient. It states in no uncertain terms,
Other countries and organizations, including the US Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, recommend airborne precautions for any situation involving the care of COVID-19 patients, and consider the use of medical masks as an acceptable option in case of shortages of respirators (N95, FFP2 or FFP3).
In order to keep staffing numbers at a maximum, along with their co-workers, local union members are choosing to return for shifts prepared to reuse their N95 masks, and have provided this statement to Redheaded Blackbelt in response to the new masking policy put forward by St. Joseph Hospital. With the confirmation among infectious disease experts and epidemiologists that the Novel Coronavirus is in fact airborne, the need for effective protective equipment on the frontlines of healthcare has become a serious public health concern. The official statement provided by the National Union of Healthcare Workers reads in full:
For far too long, caregivers at Humboldt County hospitals have been courageously doing their jobs amid a pandemic without adequate protective equipment. As COVID-19 spread in Humboldt County several caregivers have been forced to re-use ventilator masks while others inside the hospitals, including housekeepers, were told they couldn’t wear masks at all. Providence St. Joseph’s new policy is a step in the right direction, but it does not go far enough. Providence has a moral obligation to provide masks for all patients as well as a full array of protective equipment to all of its employees, all of whom are risking their health to serve patients in their community hospitals.
Taking a look at the statewide picture, Governor Gavin Newsom stated in a press conference on Tuesday, April 8th that PPE supplies were being ordered directly from manufacturers abroad, and that in-state technology was developed recently to sanitize valuable N95 masks in order to “repurpose” for use by Califorina’s health care workers as soon as possible.
In the meantime, the working policy recommended to local hospital staff is to keep their N95 masks in a paper bag between shifts, unless it is so unusable that they require a new one. This “paper lunch sack storage” policy reflects the personal testimony of several local healthcare workers, who each requested to remain anonymous when contacted for comment, out of fear of retaliation by their employers if they were to openly speak out.
Pro-tip masking poster [Image from UCSF included in their Universal Masking Policy notification published April 6th, 2020.]
Unlike the UCSF Universal Masking Policy, the recent change to St. Joe’s policy does not include many hospital staff working in ‘non-clinical’ areas, including delivery workers, maintenance staff, and technicians among others that would not be included in this Universal Masking Policy. Another key difference between the two policies addresses the reuse of masks, and use of masks from home. The UCSF policy clearly states “Mask re-use is permitted the following day if it is clean, dry and had been worn for less than a few hours. Some people may be wearing homemade cloth face coverings upon arrival, these are not permitted in our clinical facilities and must be exchanged for a surgical mask.”
In contrast to the masking policy for Providence St. Joseph Health Group Hospitals, use of home-made masks and PPE from outside the hospital is not allowed by UCSF, which is in accordance with pre-Covid19 CDC and CAl/OSHA recommended best practices. The St. Joseph Hospital Group’s mask reuse policy is a measure put in place specifically due to concerns of dwindling resources, according to the guidance sent out by St. Joe’s CEO Luskin-Hawk. The guidance from the CDC regarding emergency reuse of filtering face masks, like the N95, lays out the paper bag protocol stating, “The healthcare worker will wear one respirator each day and store it in a breathable paper bag at the end of each shift.”
A post on the St Joseph Hospital Workers United Facebook page garnered reactions and comments reflecting union concerns related to the Universal Masking Policy.
While the handful of local hospital workers that informed this report were not comfortable speaking out publicly for fear of retaliation at work or even of losing their job, they each made it clear that they were very displeased with the new policy of reuse, but appreciated being able to provide their own masks and gloves in some cases, because of the shortage of adequate PPE supplied by their employers.
A request for comment via email was met with an automated reply from St. Joseph Health Group’s Interim Executive Director of Communications. It read in part, “Currently, our communications team in Northern California is solely focused on communications and workflow that pertains to COVID-19. For emails concerning any other matter, our response time will be longer than normal. We deeply appreciate your understanding at this time.”
An informational flier distributed by nurses unions calls attention to safety protocol requirements during the Covid19 outbreak.
NOTE: In order to reduce confusion, we’ve clarified in the title that only some types of masks are being reused. Surgical masks are not being reused. Only N95 are being reused. And we’ve gone through the article and clarified the type of masks being referenced when appropriate. We’ve also added a few clarifications in bold.
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We haven’t had any problems finding N95 masks locally. Mabye they should try the agricultural supply stores. Their stocked up on gloves and masks and rubbing alcohol. Lots of misinformation and misleading information in the news since this crisis started in January.
I hear the bums in SoHum have brand new PPE. Maybe they could turn the tables and give a little instead of just taking.
Whether there are a few N95 masks locally, the CEO of St. Joes and the nurses union both say there are shortages at the hospital.
I doubt they just made that up.
Sounds like a St. Joes nurse responded to your article. Perhaps you should respond to them and then respond back to your source. There’s been lots of misinformation.
I’ve reached out to the author of this article and asked her to check this out. It’s always a concern when someone who appears to be knowledgeable expresses doubt about a piece.
I also work at the St. Joe’s and the comment from RN below is correct. We have to enter the hospital at 1 of 3 entrances so we can be checked for fever and we are issued a NEW surgical mask each day. Yes, we have to use a paper bag to store our masks during that current day’s shift but if it soiled or damaged we can absolutely get another one if needed. The N95’s are issued fresh as well but only if you are dealing with a known Covid patient. We are definitely not using 1 mask for multiple shifts.
Clarification regarding the masks being repurposed has been added to the article. However, the point that seems to be overlooked by some here in the comments is that “due to supply shortages” the policy is to reuse the N95 masks- extending the use- because the hospital is not assured that the supply will last long enough. Also, that the hospital is now allowing for use of masks brought from home, or donated, as indicated by each source I spoke with, because there was a lack in PPE being provided, as stated in the article. Sources for this report have said that that the N95 are being stored, for reuse, and are being decontaminated by a process recently developed for this reason. The email from Roberta Luskin-Hawk asks for staff to do their best to conserve these masks for reuse, due to a lack in supplies for Covid treatments. It is stated that unusable masks are replaced. My understanding is that people are labeling the paper bags with their names, in order to reuse the same N95 later, as described by staff.
I that seems a sensible idea. Better to have the option to decontaminate n95 masks than have none at all.
I had come to the conclusion that the union was demanding n95 for all, or at least a free supply of surgical masks for all, even those working away from patients like billing clerks or admin staff. Of course that would be tantamount to the hospital accepting responsibility for a hazardous work environment for all for worker’s comp, liability, hazard pay, etc for all covid-19 illnesses, no matter what, as it’s hard to establish exactly where the employee picked up the virus.
Can you name a business? Because nobody I know can find them!
Amazon. No telling when they’ll actually be delivered though.
Clarifying: 3M alone manufactures 13 different “N95” type masks, including the 8211 Respirator, available at hardware and other outlets almost everywhere before C19. It would lessen the confusion if media in general would post pictures/images of approved masks.
[ https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company-us/all-3m-products/~/All-3M-Products/Disposable-Respirators/General-Purpose-Respirators/?N=5002385+8711017+8720542+8720774+3294857497&rt=r3 ]
If you haven’t had problems finding them locally maybe you should help gather some and donate them to the hospital. There are plenty of people coming together in other communities doing this. Why not us as well?
Why dont they use UV light to disinfect masks for reuse?
UV degrades the mask material and only disinfects the surface anyway, not the interior of the mask fibers. A doctor at Duke U figured out how to use vaporized hydrogen peroxide to effectively sterilize N95 masks without degrading or compacting the filtering material, allowing the masks to be used up to 50 times. https://techcrunch.com/2020/03/27/duke-university-uses-vaporized-hydrogen-peroxide-to-clean-n95-face-masks-for-reuse/
So is St Joes using that?
Just turn them inside out.
Unbelievable lack of preparation, poor supply process, stupid policy and violation of internal directives and procedures!
This stupidly operated hospital should be closed until someone shows up who has some idea of how to obtain all needed equipment, staff, and supplies.
How a modern hospital can have so little regard for front line employees, and so little concern for patient safety is 100% unprecedented and disturbing!
Dr Hawk needs to resign, the board of St Joseph’s needs to be replaced, and, I sincerely hope that every person within the community refuses to use this incredibly poorly managed facility.
Please communicate with your congressperson, OSHA, and the State Board of Health Services to report this development.
Get in your car and drive somewhere else, to consume services.
Sounds like you have a personal problem here. This is happening everywhere within the medical field. Normal suppliers are being bought out of stock, everywhere. Are you so ignorant and self centered to believe this is only happening at one medical facility right now?
I guess you have been everywhere to check.
In my experience working for St Joseph’s, I can tell you that it is an extreme example of bad process, and bad policy. They run short staff, they allow drug addicts to work there, they use coercion and harassment as a management tool, they fire absolutely anyone who points out problems, and they have few concerns for staff and patient safety.
The use of SIGMA processes, “just in time” supply and, often, general results from our government systematically starving out healthcare, and then backing off the rules when there is a general crisis, the ignorance of warnings, and, the general unconcern and apathy from the populations of hospital users, has resulted in wildly reactive and backwards statements, like yours.
If anyone should STFU, it’s probably people who know nothing, like you.
Well you certainly haven’t been everywhere, have you? Jesus Christ. Just hate everybody.
For you:
Your union is lying to you. Unions don’t care about anybody, they just take your money,
Nurses are goddesses, they work their asses off at a job most people would not take. The status of nurses in Humboldt County is very poor, and the hospitals there are operated by some rules concocted 50-60 years ago.
All hospitals are pretty broke, except the ones totally focused on removing money from patients and the government, such as Adventist Health and Sutter. Even they, probably are having trouble obtaining supplies.
This epidemic is unprecedented, but, we are supposed to engage in training, and maintenance of supplies adequate to be able to respond in a disaster! This is an area where hospitals which are strapped, financially, are failing…
When employees are forced to bring in unions, everything gets worse, because of the constant conflict between unions and administrations! This conflict results in wasted resources and decay in the regard each side harbors for the other, also.
Putting an MD in the CEO seat is a mistake, also, since doctors have a jaded view, and, since you have to wonder why a physician would want the job in the first place…
Bad administrators fill offices in nearly every hospital, and, they dislike labor considerations intensely, as these struggles take too much time and energy… Too bad, guys!
When a hospital takes liberties with staff and patient safety, it’s time to find a different job! C-19 kills the aged, those with diabetes, hypertension, COPD, immuno-incompetence, and the weak/elderly. This is not the only virus out there, and, C-19 has been around for at least a year, maybe more, since Chinese tourists love to see CA and the Southwest. 2-3 million Chinese tourists per year see the Grand Canyon alone! Where do you think this came from?
Hopefully, simply calling people “haters” will be revealed as non-constructive, but for the record, I love where I Iive, CA is MY state. I can’t handle living or working in Humboldt, because it is too crazy for me, and Humboldt Hospitals absolutely suck!
Be safe, be well, and, healthcare workers are sacred. They must be protected! When hospitals break the law, they must be punished!
I completely agree!!!
This is unacceptable. This is a basic everyday necessity for a hospital!!! St. Joe knew this was going to one of the supplies needed most and COVID-19 was going to hit the United States, the West Coast of California and the little county of Humboldt where they operate 2 hospitals (last I knew) at least 2 months ago. I understand demand is high right now and you can’t just call up any supplier and expect to have 30 cases delivered over night but they have had 2 months to count their current supplies, calculate how many they would need and sniff them out. Come on, it’s not rocket science. I suspect, in fact I’m 99% sure they could find some to purchase from a supplier somewhere but they probably have a contract with a certain supplier that they use for a set price for a set amount. I can only assume they would rather put their front line employees, patients and God only knows who else at risk then use an uncontracted supplier to get the supplies they failed to secure months ago.
Through the Grace of God our numbers in Humboldt have been much lower than predicted SO FAR!!! I’m sorry, there is not an excuse they could give that would be acceptable for such poorly managed, unprepared, unsafe supply levels. I have to wonder if St Joe knows they are in the business to save lives and not put lives (including their OWN EMPLOYEES) at risk.
St. Joe used to be considered one of the best hospitals in Humboldt County. Now they are at the bottom of the list (and that was before COVID-19 suddenly, out of the blue landed on their door step, or so they seem to portray it) They treat their employees like something that should be scraped off the bottom of a shoe. No loyality, no appreciate, no support. Their management skill and attitude towards employees and patients is unprofessional and offensive. They don’t screen some of their employees well. They don’t put a priority on patient or employee saftey. In addition any issue I or anyone else I know has had with them is met with extremely well rehearsed, dismissive conversations or answers that provide no explanation and is barely a step above saying they don’t care, not their problem, too bad, go F— yourself.
This is not a reflection on most of the doctors and nurses but those in upper management to the top dog.
Their priority is cutting costs by running short staffed, operating under supplied, unprepared and paying crummy wages to positions under administration. It amazes me they are allowed to still operate as a functional hospital.
No excuse for this type of negligent management.
They need to be reported to OHSA and the State Board of Health. I know many employees don’t feel that is an opition for fear of being fired which is yet another black mark against St Joe. Only a hospital that has something to hide or fear would discourage or manipulate employees to not report gross negligence, poor management, unprofessional and unacceptable policies.
SHAME ON THOSE AT ST JOE IN CHARGE, SETTING THE TONE AND FORCING EMPLOYEES AND PATIENTS TO BE FURTHER AT RISK.
UNBELIEVABLE!!!
The world has become “where’s Waldo” with everyone wearing masks
Personally I’m getting some of these dr masks. Found them
Online for relatively cheap. Can’t wait to go to shop smart and the bank!
I am a nurse at St Joes. Universal masking refers everyone wearing a mask for your shift. All of us. Universal. A surgical mask. Not wearing the same one over and over, day after day. But yes, there is a spot where you can drop it off after your shift so it can be repurposed. But currently we are offered a clean and NEW one for each shift.
The masks that are being cleaned and stored in a bag are the N95 which is a different mask that we only use in situations that call for it. Not what we wear all day. This article is very misleading and again promotes fear in the public that somehow we aren’t prepared or safe to give care to our community. Which couldn’t be further from the truth.
I think the universal masking policy issued by Providence St. Joe’s is deceitful, especially if it isn’t going to be extended to patients as UCSF did.
The article does a good job of addressing universal masking as well as the reuse of n95s; they are not the same issue but they are certainly inter connected.
Lastly, just because YOU have access to the masks you need, doesn’t mean that all the workers have had the same access.
All the workers have the same access. No one is discriminated against.
That’s simply not true. And I’ll add, there’s no way one anonymous commenter can know what goes on in two hospitals with over 500 workers better than two unions representing those workers.
I was there a little while ago for something unrelated to CV-19. The nurses were running out of masks. One of the ones who saw me had no mask. I brought my own mask and gloves. I don’t know what it’s like now though.
And it certainly IS all of our business.
You may not get what you want but do you get what you need? Specifically what us UCSF doing that St. Joe’s not doing? UCSF bulletin says a mask may be offered go patience but not required. Is St. Joe’s not offering them to patients?
Thank you RN for setting the record straight about the masks. I pray each day for all of you that are working to combat this deadly virus. Without doctors, nurses and staff we would be left out in the cold. God bless you and the entire St. Joe’s staff.
We thank you for your input, and for your hard work during this difficult time for the North Coast. To clarify, the “surgical paper masks” are not what the report says is being reused, and I will clarify in the report that those are being supplied as part of the “universal masking policy” and that the more protective N95 masks are being “repurposed” . While I do appreciate your input regarding the type of masks being mandatorily reused, which are the N95 masks as pictured in the report, it is interesting that you find the policy of reuse to be sufficiently protective. However, there is no misinformation presented in this report. You are suggesting that the each of the unions noted in the article, as well as your co-workers that contributed to this information, are not being truthful. If you’d like to assure the public that there are plenty of masks available, you would be the only person to have said that in the course of about a month in regard to our local PPE supply. Also, thankfully each RN is offered a mask for protection, or they have supplied their own, but this is just not the case for all other hospital workers, as noted, such as janitorial workers and delivery workers, according to HUHW members- which makes the concept of ‘universal masking’ less comprehensive than other universal masking policies in CA. I would be interested in interviewing you as an alternative, if you feel that this information is truly misleading. Clearly, what we all want for our community is that our local healthcare workers are adequately supplied with appropriate PPE. When that is not the case, it unfortunately is an additional concern for public health.
I’d say that the writer of the article has a problem with telling the difference between reporting and advocacy. Because no one called the anonymous employees liars. And everyone feels worried these days. And there’s no problem reporting such feelings even in hospital workers. But the reporter should not even think, much less express, that the reader is required to accept such comments as proof of malfeasance by the hospital. If it was in the letters to the editor section, this spin would be ok but being claimed as a news article, it needs a lot less judging and more information.
Getting to be more and more of that type of “news article” lately.
Thank you Guest for pointing it out.
Ryan, the CDC website provides information about how to re-purpose your PPE specific to current shortages everywhere. Yearly N95 classes, which are taught by a third party unrelated to the hospital, also mentions that it is acceptable to “clean” your N95 unless it is used during a high-hazard procedure (intubation, bronch, etc) where particles can be aerosolized OR it is visibly soiled for any other reason. This is not new information!! Your article doesn’t do a good job of providing facts…just opinions and it should be labeled as such.
It is also worth mentioning that while unions are an important part of the checks/balance with large corporate hospitals, they are also large entities themselves with many layers and fat paychecks to feed. This is public information. We are currently out of contract and stalled in negotiations. Current “news” that is being reported (on this page in particular) seems to all come from the union and their stewards (who are nurses) and never mentions other hospitals that are non-union (Mad River being one of them). Having nurse friends at MRCH I can tell you things aren’t perfect there either. It is a fact that hospitals around the country are faced with shortages one way or another. St Joe’s practices seem to be line for the most part with federal guidelines…which do keep changing. Just check the CDC website.
BTW….I am not pro-hospital nor pro-union.
I am pro nurses/evs/phlebotomy/MD/tech/PT/OT/ST/registration/security…who are doing their damn best and are doing it safely.
Yes, there are current regulations by the CDC, which are linked in the article, under “TEMPORARILY ALLOWED”, referencing what you mention in regard to standards for reuse. These bits of information are not my opinions, rather they reflect statements made by hospital staff, as well as the CEO and union rep, all reflecting the same concerns for safety and provisions of PPE.
Of course, respecting people’s desire to remain safely anonymous, I did include their input. And, as you correctly point out, while it differs from other more comprehensive “Universal” masking policies, the St. Joes masking policy is mostly in line with recently revised CDC policy, which was tailored in order to address the current Covid crisis, which according to the unions nation wide and in Ca, does not go far enough when considering the prior standards of use and CalOSHA standards for ATD. That’s not my statement, that is verifiable information and also reflects feedback I’ve received. While unions are flawed in some ways, they are representing hospital workers and therefore have a valid viewpoint to be represented when presenting these type of environmental job-related concerns brought by staff.
Also, these concerns, as you may know, are not reserved to union members. As for the information seeming to only come from the union- St. Joes has consistently declined to respond to request for information or comment on the subject, but I have nevertheless continued to reach out directly in hopes of getting their input, as is responsible in due diligence and accurate reporting. I would very much appreciate being able to add the hospital’s perspective, as I have in the past when citing union statements. Unfortunately, this was not the case on this subject, as is noted at the end of the article.
Thank you!!! @RN
It shoukd be interesting to note.. And quick google search will help you research.. But viruses are generally smaller than .3 microns and hepa filters and n95 masks dont filter smaller than .3 microns… Why do you think lab workers wear biohazard suits when working with viruses.. Because they are smaller than the masks and filters… I understand peoples need to feel safe, and wearing a mask makes you feel safe.. But the science leads to an understadning that the virus does not care if you have a mask or not. The gate is still.open.
True!!!! We always used p100 masks when messing real nasty stuff, I never saw a n95 mask in a lab.
The droplets the virus is riding on are bigger than .3 microns. They have also found that viral loading is very important to the severity of your case ***and this is why universal masking is so important***. Viral loading is how much of the virus you get infected with at once because that is when the virus starts replicating in your body. Say you are a doctor entubating a highly infectious patient in a place with no PPE, during that you got a massive load of the virus that starts replicating faster than you immune system can mount a defense, these are the young healthy healthcare workers you hear have died. If you got infected by touching a handrail and then your face you probably got a much smaller load and your immune system can work it before it multiplies really bad. So, even a cotton home made mask that reduces a viral cough in the face of 90% of the droplet particles you are doing yourself a huge favor, maybe the difference between life and death.
Thanks for that-I was wondering about the effect of different levels of exposure, you explained it very well.
The lack of proper protective equipment does not surprise me one bit. The CEO of St. Joe’s is a penny pincher and should be replaced. I am very sorry the doctors, nurses and other staff have to reuse their PPE equipment. I just pray that none of them will get the COVID-19 virus. I would like to thank all the doctors, nurses and staff for working at this most dangerous time. You are all heroes to me. Be safe, we love you.
This issue starts at the top. Obviously Donald Trump is responsible due to his history of racism.
Trust Authority
Obey
Wash your hands
Maintain your distance
Trust Dr Fauci
Be Afraid
“Comply or Die”. We have all become afraid of our own shadow. News. Death Death and more death. We haven’t even hit 100k people worldwide. Fun fact. 160,000 people die every day. This virus has added.00001% to that equation. Scared yet?
By your logic, war or murder should be okay, too. I mean people die every day, right?
Yesterday, the Novel Coronavirus was the number 1 cause of death in the US. We’re not likely at peak deaths yet. https://www.healthleadersmedia.com/covid-19/coronavirus-becomes-number-one-cause-death-day-us-surpassing-heart-disease-and-cancer
It was reported as the number one cause of death but then I read an article by a nurse in a New York that, since there is a significant financial advantage to the hospitals in that cause of death, any death that can be put into that catagory, even on the slightest possibility where there’s no proof, it will be.
Frankly that is one of the dilemmas of a finacial aid package. The government want to have an aggressive attack on this epidemic but that also brings out people to take advantage of it. It wouldn’t be surprising if a story coming down the road later will be how the government is requiring a positive test along with physical evidence to get the extra money since the reality is that 60% or more of people at some point will have evidence of infection even if they died in a car accident. But not now. For the moment the government has a bigger priority in keeping hospitals going.
Since we’re headed for over six 9/11-equivalent deaths by the end of the day and probably over twenty in the coming months, 9/11 was no biggie, right?
Actually, yes, the world wide death toll at this point (from a new virus that there is no effective treatment for to date) is now over 100,000 deaths while the total of identified positive cases is over 1,600,000 world wide as well. Facts are important, especially if you are going to assert that there’s no big deal regarding a pandemic that can’t be effectively contained. Just a thought, fact-checking is good.
Don’t worry, Bill Gates has a plan.
Hahaha. Sontrue. Yet all the sheeple just baaa along. Wear a mask! Hahaha
Yes he does! Bill gates has the human version of “track n trace”
Amazing. I saw 5 boxes on kmud not even a week ago… I would have to deeply question whoever is in charge of supply at St. Joe’s.
There’s plenty in sohum, niet north?
We have a war on our hands. The stakes? The future of our planet and humanity.
Thank god we have a leader as strong as Joe Biden, fully prepared to fight the good fight and deliver us from this hellish landscape of canards.
Supporting the nurse who works there. Thank you for clarifying all the garbage in this article. It is slanted, mixes up more than one policy and is extremely misleading. Very few facts here.
COVID19 DOES NOT EXIST
1)for a virus to exist it must be able to have a test specific to the virus
2) you must be able to take a sample of the virus and infect another animal in a lab with the said virus
3) you must be able to test for the amount of viral load in the body.
None of these are possible because there is NO VIRUS.
Yes if you bother to do ANY research 5G technology at 60 mhz inhibits the bloods ability to accept oxygen resulting in death . The telecom exec’s admit this.
Your inability to look at other possibilities about what’s really going on is the most dangerous threat to us all.
This is mob rule caused by fear!!!!!
Lines outside grocery store…. stay at home?
Why? There no virus
Many schools around the world are being equipped with 5G when schools are closed.
The telecom companies are putting a million 5G all over right now when you are stuck in the house over fear of a virus that doesnt even exist.
Also by the way. China does NOT control the WHO . The two biggest contributors are USA and BILL GATES.
Your being horribly misled
5G is known to cause cancer and is an a extreme inhibitor of brain function and moter skills. It literally makes you sick if you are within close proximity.
“Only through the illusion of fear will the vision of freedom be suppressed.”
Since and after 911 25,000 laws were passed that inhibit citizens freedoms. After this “virus” episode, another 10,000 will be passed, most with out us even knowing or voting on them. Free? I’ll let you decide.
WRONG!! the biggest contributors are Donald Trump and his sidekick Pence. Both are liars, liars, liars!!!
Bill gates is the owner ofnthe patent for corona
False: https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-factcheck-coronavirus-vaccine-design/false-claim-the-coronavirus-isdesigned-and-any-vaccine-that-is-developed-could-infect-you-with-the-disease-idUSKBN20W2FB
Don’t take your eye off Gates
https://off-guardian.org/2020/04/04/did-bill-gates-just-reveal-the-reason-behind-the-lock-downs/
Thankyou Kim
My God all the conspiratory theorists
Tiring
Yes, thank you. Bill Gates is a wonderful human according to the New York Times as well.
Link? God, just look up the hundreds of articles praising him.
In this time of crisis, it is important to trust authority and our cherished free press
The Reuters article did not say that Gates was a wonderful human being. It said, “The Melinda and Bill Gates Foundation did fund a research center in England called the Pirbright Institute…which is named in the misleading post. The Pirbright Institute specializes in the study of viruses that affect farm animals, and viruses which transfer from animals to people, but they do not own a patent on the COVID-19 coronavirus. The Pirbright Institute has a patent for a type of coronavirus affecting animals (primarily chickens)…”
Reuters has an excellent record for fact based neutral reporting.
Perhaps the bias is not in the article but in your perception of Gates. Sometimes when we don’t like someone, it is difficult to let go of anything we hope is proof that they are bad people.
I never said that misleading comment was fact.
It is a fact that Gates is heavily involved in all of this. Do I think he has the interests of humanity in his heart. No. Do I respect his software, no.
“Owner of the patent on Corona” patent on a virus? Sounds pretty scary man.
I’d better stay inside and keep my distance in order to do my part to flatten the curve.
Does Fauci have any ties to Gates?
James Bond villains are real
From a distance guest? Installing 5G in a home or school is not recommended. I work in the fire world. They put up a 5G tower at a fire Dept base because it was state owned and no one else wanted one put up on there property. Within weeks of it being put up, other wise healthy top fit firefighters were becoming lethargic and sick, some not showing up to work because of it. Others experiencing “brain fog” and other mental incapacitations. Firefighters were spending up to 72 hours right next to the antenna. It was later removed to another location and all personal were better within days. Not fiction. They want to put these in schools with developing children.
There’s a definite accusatory tone to this article but darned if it’s clear who is being accused of what. There are several excerpts from the nurses union but no clear distinction between whatever “universal masking” means in St. Joe’s (clearly alleged as not good by the union) and what USCF is doing (following the link gives a bulletin about non-n95 masks). I think the union wants everyone entering the hospital to wear a commercial surgical grade mask but the local St. Joe’s guidance doesn’t exclude (?) homemade masks. But even that’s not clear. Clearly the union prefers everyone has a hospital issued n95 mask without requiring re-use (well maybe- that’s not clear either – the USCF bulletin talks about reuse the next day) .
Anyway a clear statement about what the union wants the local administration to do in the face of ppe shortage (or no shortage as there is also a mention of that) that they are not doing and why the union feels there are the supplies to do it would be nice. Especially after reading one of the above comments by an RN.
This sounds like something the County Public health administration should be investigating immediately. I have and never will trust any administrator from St Joe’s. I am surprised that the administration of St. Joe’s is not charging each employee for PPE.
??I like the term “Trust Dr Fauci” not my potus all ready took him out the daily press briefings because he had to keep on correcting him. Yes trust him,he telling you the truth, not my potus is about the money. ???
Today’s briefing is on right now. Fauci is there and has been participating.
Are you just making things up?
Exactly SO Willie!!!
It doesn’t matter if it’s made up or not, it fits with the agenda. And no matter how many times such stuff is shown to be unproven, it becomes a congenial “fact” to be used forever.
Code Pink just sent an email stating that the U.S. sent one million N95 masks to
the Israeli army???
Cool it with the anti Semitic remarks please. This is our greatest ally you’re talking about.
It isn’t anti Semitic to complain about the Israeli army getting masks.
At least it isn’t, if one would complain equally about the Chinese army and the Canadian army.
Mexican Army?
Did we really give them those masks though? I haven’t snopes’d it yet
Not N95’s. They were surgical masks. https://web.archive.org/web/20200407234505/https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/US-Department-of-Defense-give-1-million-masks-to-IDF-for-coronavirus-use-623976
And it isn’t clear from that article why the US was helping source masks from China for Israel. It looks like its a program in place. But I’m too tired to track down the details.
Also, I’m sure someone will take away my liberal stripes from me for this but…CodePink, while it aligns with my politics, is…um…not dispassionate in its views and not a place I would choose to get my news.
The PPE situation hospitals are facing is a reflection of the Trump Administration’s priorities.
https://www.moonofalabama.org/2020/04/jared-kushners-anti-virus-priorities.html#comments
Thanks for the article Ryan. In SoHum we are implementing the use of universal masking for all employees, such as the yellow procedure mask, available to employees and patients alike. Employees working in ED or direct patient care are required to wear n95 mask throughout their shift and to place in paper bag at end of shift for decontamination, a new n95 issued at beginning of next shift.
Thank you for you feedback. Considering the supply and demand issues occurring all across the country, it looks like Ca is doing alright in keeping ahead of the surge, but I suppose it remains to be seen how our rural areas will cope if there continues to be a PPE shortage. Considering the local efforts to donate masks, and to create sterilization procedures across the state to extend the life of the N95 masks, personally, I am hopeful that the North Coast will be safe and secure with enough PPE, but apparently many healthcare workers are less confident, and I can see why they are concerned. Thank you! Your input is much appreciated.
And, let’s remember that while many people who work the floors of hospitals are licensed and must be certified trained and competent, absolutely any clown with a University of Phoenix Master’s Degree in buisness, public administration, accounting or healthcare administration, can get a job as a COO or CEO of a hospital, with no licensure by state or federal agencies, and no training and competency review! Dr Luskin-Hawk, well, she’s an MD, and for some reason, they made her CEO: enough said… Obviously, someone is not maintaining supplies at an adequate level, according to state and federal standards, and their own policies, and, meanwhile, the management/employee problems within St Joe’s are manifestly predominant, even without an epidemic. Really, now, there’s what, 50 positive C-19 patients in Humboldt? How many in the hospital?
Jesus, Chris, who TF is in charge here? Where’s the PPE in your large understaffed, under-equipped hospital? And why isn’t anyone else outraged?
I learned in the past to avoid this place, as a patient and as an employee. Why has it not improved?
Demand the replacement of Roberta Luskin-Hawk, and, report the facility to OSHA and CA Dept of Health Services.
Look, we need vaccines and chips in everyone anyway.
We need to eliminate private property and encourage people, especially children, to report non compliance to the appropriate authorities. Shaking hands or hugging in public can never happen again.
Our leaders should not let this very real crisis go to waste
I don’t mean orange guy
Maybe total destruction of Syria?
My main point is that nobody knows, or even knows what to do.
Thinking the government will solve this is a trope and a dog whistle to people who despise Canards.
1) RNs can be management non union members, not just regular staff FYI
2) N95s are used in the presence of ACTUAL airborne pathogen rooms OR suspected and per old policy should be used ONE time going into a room and throwing it away after patient care.
3) Resusing N95s are concerning for staff because the pathogen could be on the mask and we are risking getting exposed with multiple uses.
This feedback is more aligned with the interviews (anonymous as a matter of precaution) and information that was garnered for this report. Again, perspective is always a factor, but reality is still there. Thank you for your input.
Are they using the vaporized H2O2 sterilization method at St Joes or just mentioning that the state does it? They would need specialized equipment to use it. I don’t see any mention here of new equipment.
Are they even doing mask decontamination? Or are they just letting masks sit in a paper bag? It’s not entirely clear.
Bleach is toxic and has a lot of residue when dry.
99% Alcohol/fumes dissipate much more readily. Personally would do outside… Temp/time dependent- as is H2O2. No special equipment needed.
If needed call the CDC or go to the County health lab and talk to someone privately who **actually has sterile lab experience**.
No special equipment needed; just a sprayer and an airtight bag.
Currently, St. Joes is not doing that on site, but the used N95 masks are being collected to be processed and returned after they are sterilized in the Bay Area. That is the info I’ve gotten recently. The paper bags are replaceable, and the N95 masks are being exchanged if they are wet, dirty, or falling apart- is my understanding.
Thank you for responding Ryan, I’m glad to know it’s being done right. Thinking it wasn’t was disturbing. H2O2 seems much more environmentally friendly.