Where Des Moines metro hospitals stand now in the fight against the pandemic
Share
Updated: 6:13 PM CDT Apr 25, 2021
Share
Updated: 6:13 PM CDT Apr 25, 2021
Hide Transcript
Show Transcript
N95 MASKS NO LONGER HAVE TO BE REUSED BY HEATHCARE WORKERS. THE FDA SAYS THERE IS NOW PLENTY OF PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT NATIONWIDE, SO HOSPITALS CAN MOVE AWAY FROM CRISIS STRATEGIES. KCCI’S KAYLA JAMES TAKES A LOOK AT WHERE DES MOINES METRO HOSPITALS STAND NOW IN THE FIGHT AGAINST THE PANDEMIC. KAYLA: THE NEED FOR PPE WAS A CONSTANT STRUGGLE FOR HOSPITALS ACROSS THE NATION WHEN THE PANDEMIC BEGAN, LEADING TO HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS HAVING TO SANITIZE AND REUSE EQUIPMENT. HERE IN DES MOINES, THE HOSPITALS TEAMED UP TO PREVENT THE SITUATION FROM BECOMING UNMANAGEABLE. >> WE STARTED WORKING TOGETHER ON DEVELOPING SIMILAR PPE PROTOCOLS, SO THAT WE COULD MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE ENSURING THE SAFETY OF PATIENTS AS MUCH AS THE SAFETY OF OUR STAFF. KAYLA: DR. NICOLE GILG GACHIANI SAYS BROADLAWNS HAS HAD THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF PPE FOR A FEW MONTHS NOW. MERCY ONE’S TEAM ALSO SAYS THEY’RE PRETTY SET ON PPE, ALL THE WAY DOWN TO N95 MASKS. >> THE GUIDANCE IS STILL REUSING THEM AT THIS POINT. WE HAVE A GOOD SUPPLY OF THEM, SO THAT MY CHANGE IN THE FUTURE. KAYLA: NEARLY ONE MILLION IOWANS ARE NOW FULLY VACCINATED. HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS ARE WATCHING CLOSE TO SEE HOW NEW NUMBERS MAY REVERT CURRENT HOSPITAL PROTOCOLS, LIKE THE VISITOR POLICIES. >> WE HAD HOPED TO SEE A CONTINUAL RATE OF DECLINE SO THAT WE COULD GET CLOSER TO LESS THAN 5% POSITIVITY, OR EVEN LESS THAN 3% POSITIVITY, BEFORE MAKING SOME OF THESE CHANGES. KAYLA: POLK COUNTY HAS A 5.1% 14-DAY POSITIVITY RATE AS OF SUNDAY. A LESS THAN 5% POSITIVITY RATE DOESN’T AUTOMATICALLY MEAN CHANGES WOULD BE IMPLEMENTED, BUT HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS ARE ENCOURAGED BY WHAT THEY’RE SEEING. HOWEVER, THEY’RE STILL CAUTIOUS. >> WE CURRENTLY DON’T HAVE A COVID-19 UNIT, ALTHOUGH WE’RE STILL SEEING PLENTY OF PATIENTS, AND WE’RE READY FOR WHATEVER COMES OUR WAY. KAYLA: MERCY ONE CLOSED THEIR COVID-19 UNIT BACK IN FEBRUARY AND HAVEN’T HAD A NEED FOR IT SINCE, BUT THEY ALSO NOTE, ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN AS THE FIGHT AGAINST THE PANDEMIC CONTINUES. >> WE’RE READY AND WILLING TO TAKE CARE OF WHATEVER THIS DISEASE THROWS AT US. KAYLA: IN DES MOINES, KAYLA JAMES, KCCI 8 NEWS, IOWA’S