(Snippets from the frontline)
COVID-19: Visiting first responders in the hospital
Recently, an explosion burned many first responding Los Angeles City firefighters. News media was at the scene, and at the emergency room entrance where victims were taken. Family members were already there distraught and grasping for contact as firefighters were wheeled into the hospital knowing this could be their final contact as visitation is restricted. It was heart-wrenching.
COVID-19 has changed hospital visitation, and fear of infection is paramount, especially in burn patients. How we safely open these doors is not an easy task, but in a recent “Annals of Internal Medicine” May 5, 2020 from Harvard, a discussion was presented:
https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M20-0751
We don’t always know who carries the coronavirus, and there is no reliable way to screen patients, staff, or visitors. Therefore, contamination is potentially high.
Taking temperature, nasal swabs, screening history is not adequate as many have no symptoms and tests are not reliable. The article states: “Our halfhearted approach to endemic respiratory viruses is a source of harm to our patients and puts us at increased risk for COVID-19 infiltration.”
Please read the article and let’s create a full-hearted approach to help open hospital doors to loved ones.
Gene Uzawa Dorio, M.D.
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