30 health professionals to fit COVID-19 masks today
Published:Tuesday | March 24, 2020 | 12:32 AMErica Virtue/Senior Gleaner Writer
Thirty health professionals, including surgeons, medical officers and critical-care nurses, have been selected for fitting and testing of specialised masks for front-line personnel treating COVID-19-positive patients scheduled for surgery.
It was not immediately clear if the professionals are being outfitted with the N95 respirators and surgical masks – the gear used to protect the wearer from particles.
Personnel were notified by letter from the Ministry of Health & Wellness last Friday of the impending fitting session, following concerns raised last week that front-line workers were gripped by fear over not being fitted with the gear.
At least two healthcare associations raised concerns about the readiness of the medical facilities to deal with the impending crisis.
“The Ministry of Health & Wellness has advised that three persons will be scheduled for mask fit testing for Kingston Public Hospital (KPH) and Victoria Jubilee Hospital (VJH) on Tuesday, March 24, 2020, in the Henry Shaw Auditorium. Selected persons are to be present for 8:45 a.m.,” the letter read.
It continued: “Of the 30 persons, 16 of these will be from KPH.”
The 16 selected from KPH and VJH include two surgeons each for general, orthopaedic, and ear, nose and throat; one intensive care unit medical officer; and three critical-care nurses; three operating theatre nurses and two technicians; and one public-health nurse.
“The persons selected would be expected to respond in the event there are suspected COVID-19 cases requiring emergency surgery at KPH,” read the letter.
The letter did not say if the other 14 individuals were hospital personnel.
Porters, drivers concerned
However, last week, porters and public and private ambulance drivers were among those expressing concern that they had limited protective gear for interface with symptomatic patients. Most hospitals have at least one ambulance operational, but porter service to public hospitals rests on a combination of government and private arrangements.
Despite the gravity surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, a senior medical professional said he attended to regular patients while wearing a rain cloak, one day last week, before he called it quits.
“Before I decided that my life was not worth this, I saw my last patient wearing rain cloak and plastic over my face. Imagine. Me? Seeing patients in rain cloak?” said the doctor, laughing in fits.
“Good thing the place was air-conditioned. But the amount of sweat, I sweat. I decided it wasn’t worth it.”
The senior private medical practitioner requested that his name be withheld.