The hospital told ABC7 News that the “maybe” spread was related to an employee who appeared briefly in the emergency room wearing an “air suit” on Christmas Day.
Fifty-one employees of the emergency department of Kaiser Permanente San Jose Medical Center tested positive for COVID-19 between December 27 and January 5, according to a statement issued Tuesday by the Department of Public Health.
The staff member who died died of COVID-19 complications and was working in the emergency department on December 25, the hospital confirmed to ABC7 News on Sunday night. Out of respect for the patient’s family and privacy, hospital officials do not disclose more information.
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“Any exposure, if it occurred, would have been completely innocent and quite accidental, because the individual had no COVID symptoms and only sought to lift the spirits of those around him during a very stressful time,” Chavez said. “If anything, this should serve as a very real reminder that the virus is widespread and often asymptomatic, and we should all be vigilant.”
I asked Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease expert at UCSF, about how an inflatable suit could help spread the virus.
“These random air currents from the leaks, consistent with the random movements, create an unpredictable flow,” Chin-Hong said. “The airflow on the drops can give these drops super powers, make them smaller and lighter and keep them suspended in the air and blow them into the air. That’s what we call aerosol generation.”
Regarding vaccinations, the staff of the hospital’s emergency department was the first to receive the COVID-19 vaccine less than 10 days ago. The hospital says that “he would not have expected to have reached immunity when this exposure took place. It is important not only for everyone to be vaccinated, but to receive the two doses of vaccine needed to be protected.
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The hospital adds that the emergency department is still open and safe to receive care. All areas of the department are thoroughly cleaned, along with routine cleaning. . An ongoing investigation and follow-up of contacts between staff and patients are ongoing.
“Obviously, we will no longer allow air suits in our facilities,” Chavez told ABC7 News. “At the same time, we are taking steps to strengthen safety measures among staff, including physical distancing and lack of assembly in break rooms, lack of sharing of food or drink and masks at all times.”
The hospital reported for the first time that 43 staff members gave positive results on Saturday. A day later, Sunday afternoon officials said the number of employees infected with emergencies had risen to 44.
Read the full January 5 hospital statement below:
The health and safety of our patients, employees and doctors is our highest priority. To date, we have established that 60 staff members present at the Kaiser Permanente San Jose emergency department on December 25 have tested positive for COVID-19. Working with our infectious disease specialists, we continue to investigate the outbreak to determine potential causes and use contact tracking to personally notify and test anyone who is exposed, based on the CDC and public health guidelines. Given the prevalence of COVID-19 in our communities, it is often difficult to identify the specific exposure that leads to COVID-19 infection.
In addition to HEPA filtration of ventilation systems, which are known to be effective against coronavirus, other precautions we have taken include deep cleaning and intensive disinfection of the entire emergency department, including high-touch surfaces, equipment, and areas. in common areas and patient care areas and we tested to determine these areas are sanitized. In addition, we implement regular rigorous cleaning, masks, symptom screening and temperature checks at the ED inlet; triage and adequate isolation of any person suspected of COVID-19; and ensure social distancing with precautions, such as plexiglass cubes for patients in the waiting area.
Our thoughts are with all our valuable staff members who have been affected by this situation and we continue to provide the care and support they need.
Our doctors have contacted all 70 patients who were treated and discharged from the Emergency Department on December 25 and answer any questions that patients may have. COVID-19 tests are made available to these patients, and doctors help members perform the test. All Kaiser Permanente members can also schedule an online test at kp.org. Due to patient privacy laws, we have no other patient information to provide.
As COVID-19 continues to spread and is often asymptomatic, we are all still vulnerable and it remains essential for everyone to continue to use methods to protect ourselves and others – especially masks, hand washing, avoidance. meetings and social distancing.
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