Posted on 03/04/2020 7:03:34 AM PST by Kaslin
The first nine coronavirus deaths in the U.S. show the biggest risks are not traveling internationally, riding mass transit or attending a crowded event. The most dangerous place to be is in a rehab or nursing home. The second-most dangerous is a hospital.
Five residents of the Life Care Center, a nursing facility in Kirkland, Washington, have died, and some 50 other residents and staff members there reportedly have coronavirus symptoms.
Be on the alert for more deadly outbreaks in nursing homes wherever coronavirus, now dubbed COVID-19, spreads. Nursing homes are infection cauldrons.
Most nursing facilities ignore precautions like separating infected residents and disinfecting rooms and medical equipment. Even without COVID-19, these facilities are dangerous. Last year, Kirkland's Life Care was cited by regulators for shoddy infection control such as failing to have staff clean their hands before touching patients and allowing a flu outbreak to infect 17 patients.
Generally, someone with coronavirus will pass it to two other people, data show. But not in nursing homes. There, one infected person can lead to carnage.
Federal and state health officials, including the New York State Department of Health, should be focused on getting nursing homes ready. Some 2.2 million Americans live full time in these facilities and hundreds of thousands more go for rehab after being in the hospital. The Committee to Reduce Infection Deaths, a nonprofit, announced guidelines Monday on what nursing homes should to curb COVID-19.
Few children become seriously ill from COVID-19. But the elderly struggle. And in many nursing homes, they won't stand a chance.
Also in the COVID-19 crosshairs are health care workers and hospital patients. When an infected patient went to VacaValley hospital near Sacramento for care in February, three health care workers contracted it.
Doctors and nurses need training in the use of N95 masks, goggles and protective gear when treating suspected cases. A staggering 41% of coronavirus patients at a Wuhan, China, hospital contracted the virus in the hospital. Across China, some 3,400 health care workers became infected. Now Europe is bearing the brunt.
When federal officials assessed New York City hospitals for readiness to contain a contagion like measles or a coronavirus, fewer than three-quarters of health care workers put on the necessary protective gear, such as goggles, before entering an infected patient's room. Hospitals were drilled twice, and 39% failed at least once.
President Donald Trump's initial response to the coronavirus was to limit travel. That bought the U.S. time. Now, federal officials are rolling out their pandemic battle plan. The broad contours are providing medical care, and developing tests, treatments and vaccines. Secondly, closing schools where needed (already being done in Washington) and encouraging people to stay home. Thirdly, disinfecting public spaces.
In New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced plans to ramp up cleaning of schools and mass transit, warning that we'll be detecting the smell of bleach. All good.
Also, Port Authority should install hand hygiene dispensers in every jetway and check-in area at our airports. Here's why:
Coughing and sneezing spray viral droplets, but the droplets only reach six feet. More significant is the danger of touching an object, such as a check-in touch screen or railing, after an infected person. The virus can live on hard surfaces for as long as nine days. MIT researchers estimate that improving hand cleanliness at airports could reduce viral spread by double-digits.
Few children become seriously ill from COVID-19. But the elderly struggle. And in many nursing homes, they won't stand a chance.
Also in the COVID-19 crosshairs are health care workers and hospital patients. When an infected patient went to VacaValley hospital near Sacramento for care in February, three health care workers contracted it.
Doctors and nurses need training in the use of N95 masks, goggles and protective gear when treating suspected cases. A staggering 41% of coronavirus patients at a Wuhan, China, hospital contracted the virus in the hospital. Across China, some 3,400 health care workers became infected. Now Europe is bearing the brunt.
When federal officials assessed New York City hospitals for readiness to contain a contagion like measles or a coronavirus, fewer than three-quarters of health care workers put on the necessary protective gear, such as goggles, before entering an infected patient's room. Hospitals were drilled twice, and 39% failed at least once.
President Donald Trump's initial response to the coronavirus was to limit travel. That bought the U.S. time. Now, federal officials are rolling out their pandemic battle plan. The broad contours are providing medical care, and developing tests, treatments and vaccines. Secondly, closing schools where needed (already being done in Washington) and encouraging people to stay home. Thirdly, disinfecting public spaces.
In New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced plans to ramp up cleaning of schools and mass transit, warning that we'll be detecting the smell of bleach. All good.
Also, Port Authority should install hand hygiene dispensers in every jetway and check-in area at our airports. Here's why:
Coughing and sneezing spray viral droplets, but the droplets only reach six feet. More significant is the danger of touching an object, such as a check-in touch screen or railing, after an infected person. The virus can live on hard surfaces for as long as nine days. MIT researchers estimate that improving hand cleanliness at airports could reduce viral spread by double-digits.
that’s funny but it keeps the Doctor away.
Betsy McCaughy really knows her stuff regarding hospital and other such “health care” facilities. And her knowledge is really scary to hear.
Good info. Thanks.
I’ve been an RN in the VA system for the past six years. My first year here I worked in a stepdown unit. Most of our cases in the winter are pulmonary in nature. The first winter I worked here I came down with a BAD case of atypical pneumonia. I recall one night having a high fever and a terrible deep cough. Honestly thought I was dying. Inpatient units, long term units and nursing homes are terrible places for spreading illness.
I do some side work as a transitional care RN (home health). When nursing homes get a flu case it spreads like wildfire throughout the facility, affecting everybody.
My daughter is an E.R. nurse so I hear all of the same Inside Baseball stuff. And yes indeed, it is scary.
So, is it already known how the disease got to Kirkland, Washington?
That would seem to be the real thing the deaths could tell us. First deaths (infections would be better) should give clues as to the origin.
Given the nature of this disease, it appears obvious that a nursing home would be a thriving incubator for those most likely to succumb, so most of this doesn’t seem to be telling us anything.
Flu is really bad in my area this year. I went to the dentist this morning for my cleaning and for the first time ever there was a table containing a box of masks, a giant bottle of hand sanitizer, tissues, and a notice that said if you are coughing or sneezing to wear the mask. If the sick people would use protection people like me with asthma that are otherwise healthy wouldn’t need to. Nobody here is worried about Coronavirus, just flu. If I go into a confined area and people are sneezing and coughing my mask goes on. It’s not 100% but it’s better than nothing.
as I see it, this is why scooping up the tent and street population and putting them in barrack like facilities is all together wrong thinking...they are much better off on the streets...alone. Providing an army of medics, going tent to tent to treat the sick, putting quarantine signs up like they did for measles etc back in the day, would go a long way to help those sick on the streets.
Ever since college, almost every cold I’ve gotten has been followed by bronchitis with a nagging, dry cough that lasts weeks. Over the years the bronchitis has gotten worse and lingered longer. I’ve never smoked and always watched my health. I’m now 68.
A couple years ago we bought a house in North Idaho and I spent last winter doing remodel projects there. Sure enough, I caught a cold in January 2019, got over it, and about ten days later the bronchitis set in.
It was the worst I’ve ever had and, after about nine weeks, progressed into what the docs thought was probably pneumonia, even though I’ve had the pneumonia vaccination. Near the end of the bout, breathing was getting difficult, I was gurgling on every inhalation and exhalation and I really began to think “this is it.” I had three different types of antibiotics and steroids, but nothing helped.
When I first got sick, the doc said the AVERAGE time to get over bronchitis was twelve weeks. At the end of the 12th week, it disappeared and I mean it went away quickly! Right on the dot of the average 12 weeks.
I really discovered a new appreciation for my lungs, developed a new fright of dying with failed and liquid-filled lungs, and a new respect for RNs and other medical professionals who risk getting these infections every day!
Thanks for doing what you do, especially for our veterans! You folks really are doing God’s work for all of us.
Not gonna lie, that is actually pretty cool.
Princess Cruise Lines is promoting a seniors cruise for nursing home patients. Their nursing home staff, cruise for Free.
Its a 30 day cruise with the stipulation that you agree to burial at sea.
Cruises leave from Seattle Washington, Busan South Korea, Civitavecchia, (Rome) Italy, and Shanghai, China. More cruises from other cities are planned.
The 2 infections per person (R0=2) applies to the cold weather outdoor market in Wuhan. In Sinagapore where it is warm except for indoor AC, R0 is 0.5 Also Singapore is strict about testing and tracking.
Yes, but someone had to have been infected that worked there or visited.
My husband was in that exact facility for rehab until about March 2019. Yesterday I moved him out of an assisted living in Bellevue, WA because I’m worried about the caregivers ...who knows who they come in contact with? He’s now at home where it’s much safer.
LifeCare had a lot of really sick people - many apparently had dementia and would never leave there alive even without the virus. Very sad.
Your history sounds like mine, now 74, but even as a runner I had bouts of cold that moved into bronchitis and a cough that lasted until Spring. I am not anxious to be exposed to the new virus.
I usually did not go on antibiotics until after two weeks of the cold and cough. That has changed with a new pulmonary doctor who has me maintain a supply of antibiotics at home for the next cold. His advice, some people should start antibiotics at the first sign, because for them giving the bacteria a few weeks head start is a mistake. He was right, the last bout ended quickly as I interrupted the usual cycle. You might try this too.
Thanks. That is very interesting g and kudos to your doc for doing that. Like you, I’ve heard for years that bronchitis is viral and antibiotics do no good. Then some opportunistic bacterial infection moves in and I get the antibiotics. By then, as you point out, it’s an uphill battle against both virus and bacteria.
I’ll keep that in mind for next time.
I’m doing a LOT more hand washing this season (starting last fall), avoiding crowds more, working hard to not touch my face, using paper towels to touch door handles when leaving the gym, etc. seems to be helping so far this season.
I think winter ‘18-‘19 may have been bad for me because I moved to a cold climate for the first time in about 45 years. My body didn’t know how to handle this thing called “winter.” I just got back to 75 degree California on Monday. I seem to have my “snowbird” routine backwards!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.