Whatcom hospital running low on crucial protective equipment needed for coronavirus
St. Joseph hospital is running low on personal protective equipment for medical workers who are treating patients under new guidelines in the wake of the new coronavirus outbreak, a PeaceHealth administrator said Thursday.
“Inside our Emergency Department we do have an adequate number of supplies,” PeaceHealth Northwest Chief Executive Charles Prosper said Thursday at a special meeting of the Whatcom County Health Board.
But it’s only a few days’ supply and officials are having trouble getting more, Prosper said.
Hospital officials are “using a conservation strategy and careful control” of resources, Prosper said.
Meanwhile, there is a worldwide shortage of the masks, gowns and gloves for health-care providers, the state Department of Health wrote in a blog posted Wednesday, March 18.
“We are also facing a crisis in which we may not have enough space in our hospitals, nor life-saving equipment like ventilators available for people who need them,” the DOH wrote.
Health officials urged people to remain at home unless they truly need advanced care, and Prosper said people are following that advice.
“I’m seeing our ED volume has actually dropped,” Prosper said. “People who would normally come to our ED are looking for alternative care.”
The Washington State Department of Health has requested 64,690 N-95 respirators, 154,103 surgical masks, 29,344 face shields and 23,925 gowns from the federal government on Friday, March 13, according to a state release. As of Thursday, the request is still awaiting approval.
This story was originally published March 19, 2020 at 3:29 PM.
