Personal protective equipment -- or -- for health care workers combatting is in short supply.
Despite a run on this type of gear, doctors and nurses have to move forward with treatment.
In-demand items include head covers, gloves, and maybe the most sought-after piece of PPE 鈥� N95 respirator face masks.
Dr. Jim Cardon, Hartford HealthCare鈥檚 chief clinical integration officer, told reporters at a Monday news conference that the hospital network鈥檚 supply of this type of mask is currently in 鈥済ood shape,鈥� and that there wasn鈥檛 yet a need to ration the N95s by way of re-use.
鈥淲e don't do that unless we are convinced it's safe to do so,鈥� Cardon said. 鈥淚f we have confidence that we can reuse these things with the same effectiveness as the approved use of these things, we will need to consider that, but at this time, we have not put that in our execution plan at the moment."
But John Brady, the executive vice president of AFT 黑料吃瓜网, said he鈥檚 hearing different reports from hospital workers in his union.
He said some Hartford HealthCare providers are using masks according to 鈥渃risis-level鈥� guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control -- which include wearing them for more than one visit. Others are forced to see patients who might have COVID-19 wearing surgical masks that are less protective.
鈥淚n Danbury Hospital, we鈥檙e using the N95s exclusively 鈥� for anybody who has the symptoms 鈥� any possible patient, but in other hospitals like Backus Hospital on the other end of the state, we鈥檙e only using the N95s for the positive COVID patients,鈥� Brady said.
A staff member at Backus hospital in Norwich reported being instructed to use an N95 mask five times before disposing of it. That was reported in an email sent to Congressman Joe Courtney and obtained by 黑料吃瓜网 Radio.
Brady鈥檚 worried about the safety of the providers 鈥� that the rationing of masks will lead to exposure.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 a matter of time,鈥� he said.
Some members, according to Brady, are already in quarantine after seeing COVID-19 patients and are awaiting a test to see if they are sick or they can go back to work.
鈥淭hey worry about contracting COVID and they worry about bringing that home to their families and they worry about passing that to the other patients they care for,鈥� he said.
A Hartford Healthcare spokesperson reiterated the network has a decent supply, but that it would keep revewing its policies in a time of uncertainty.
鈥淏ecause we can't necessarily predict what's coming down the road, we must be thoughtful and keep all options open,鈥� said Tina Varona, Hartford Healthcare鈥檚 media relations manager, in an email to 黑料吃瓜网 Radio.
She said donations are part of the planning process. The network has asked suppliers to donate personal protective equipment 鈥� including N95 masks 鈥� should they have extra.
The state is also collecting personal protective equipment. The governor鈥檚 office asks state residents, businesses, and philanthropic organizations to fill-out a form online at .
