Sunday, March 29, 2020

Corona Virus Update 3/29

We are 23 days since our first confirmed case of Covid-19 in Connecticut. We have 1993 laboratory-confirmed cases, (up from 1524 yesterday), 34 residents have died. 404 are currently hospitalized. 

Governor Ned Lamont's request for a Major Disaster Declaration for coronavirus response in Connecticut has been approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency on Sunday.The Major Disaster Declaration unlocks additional federal assistance programs for the state in response to the coronavirus pandemic, according to Lamont."This is imperative to protecting the health and safety of the people in our state," Lamont said in a tweet. The approval means that impacted state agencies and municipalities in all eight of Connecticut's counties will be reimbursed for 75 percent of the costs associated with the response and emergency protective measures for the coronavirus outbreak.
“I am grateful that the federal government is recognizing the severity of this pandemic in Connecticut and the impact it is having on the health and safety of the people of our state. It is an important step in providing critical aid in our communities,” Governor Lamont said in part on Sunday. Lamont has another request for disaster assistance that is still under review by the White House. This request includes individual assistance that could provide residents with a number of benefits including expanded unemployment assistance, food benefits and child care assistance. “I remain hopeful that our request for assistance for individuals will also be approved because this pandemic has had a significant impact on the livelihoods of so many people in Connecticut," Lamont added. "Thousands of workers and families are badly hurting. Unlocking this assistance would mean expanded unemployment benefits for those who are out of work because of the emergency, needed food benefits, child care assistance, and a host of other critically important aid."
As of March 28, FEMA, via the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS), has delivered, or is shipping: 11.6 million N-95 respirators, 26 million surgical masks, 5.2 million face shields, 4.3 million surgical gowns, 22 million gloves, 132, 000 coveralls and 8,100 ventilators. FEMA is expediting movement of critical supplies from the global market to medical distributers in various locations across the United States. Movement of supplies began on Saturday, March 28. The first flight will arrive today, March 29, with 80 tons of personal protection equipment (PPE) supplies including 130,000 N95 respirators, 1.8 million face masks and gowns, 30 million gloves and thousands of thermometers for New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.


From the Bedside
This from a nurse at one of our hospitals:
 "My shift started at 0700 this morning and I was taken back when I was told there was only two nurses scheduled for the east side. I was going to be accepting an assignment of 5:1 patient to nurse ratio and my coworker would have started off at a 4:1 ratio. These patients are getting sicker and sicker and require close monitoring which I was unable to do because my entire shift I felt I was being pulled in a million different directions without the proper support we were once originally promised. Caring for these patients is scary enough considering the lack of PPE available through out the hospital. It takes a decent amount of time to properly put on all the protective wear. Running around to find proper face masks, gloves that fit, disinfecting wipes, face protection takes up a decent amount of time and now add another five minutes to even put on everything once found. All of this happens before we go in and care for each patient. We were promised “runners” which is staff that would be there helping us clean all our equipment after being with the patient as well as making sure that all of our PPE is on properly. We have NO ONE there to double check our safety before opening the doors to a possible accidental exposure. We have our PCTs but one an average day they have up to 8 patients. Their help is very limited due to the fact that our patients are high acuity. We were rushing around all shift today in order to get what we needed done in time before change of shift, at any one time we could have easily made a mistake. 

I arched my concerns up the chain of command by first calling the House Administrator (MAC Nurse) at approximately 0700 begging that they call in the nurse that we had on call  for when they were needed. I had to call an additional three times before getting any sort of response. MAC nurse then contacted our manager. I was told by my manager that things change every day (which they do), and 5:1 ratio is the new ratio. I was shocked. Finally after three more admissions were placed on our unit they decided to call in the extra nurse. We also had one of our own nurse float to the west side. 

Nurses enter the profession because they want to care for their patients the best way they know how but having us work at a 5:1 ratio is undesirable and none of 9 east nurses feel as though our patients will be properly cared for, we fear we may miss something important because we are so overwhelmed with other patients and last but not least we fear for our own safety and families safety because we fear that we can risk potential exposure to not only ourselves but our families as well."
From the Local President: “All nursing are feeling this strain.  Please help us.“


Backus Nurses have a member who was sent home because she had a cough and another employee who is not in the bargaining unit who was also sent home. They have been told to use PTO time. We reached out to legal and this is the response. Please report ALL cases where this happens.
Thanks John. Let's hope the tests come back negative and the two workers and their families are healthy and safe.
Sherri- attached is a Form 30C. (Workers Compensation form)
If the tests comes back negative, it's been our position that time missed from work due to being sent home should be paid without a charge to PTO. The worker is not sick, not on vacation, not taking a personal day, etc. The worker reported to work ready, willing and able to work but was sent home. Perhaps the worker comes down with a nasty cold, the flu, etc., In such a case, the worker may need to use sick time for the absence.

If the test is positive for COVID, then it should be covered by Workers' Comp. We'll make sure it is. Any push back from the employer on this should be made public. The media should know and report that a hospital is refusing to cover its healthcare workers who in the course of battling this virus, contract it. 
Regards,
Eric 

Members,
If you are out of work for reasons related to COVID-19, please notify us and file a claim for workers compensation.
https://can2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/data/000/385/170/original/30c.pdf?link_id=0&can_id=2d7c974b85a9a42c6822444e36c34750&source=email-workers-compensation&email_referrer=email_762956&email_subject=workers-compensation

If you are out with s/s of COVID-19 and are being denied testing, also, please let us know. 
In solidarity,
Sherri Dayton
Jessica Harris 
Our VNA School Nurses

 https://twitter.com/AFTCT/status/1240325934546407425

Toni Pederson, RN, BSN (in photo, above), was one such health professional facing a an extended layoff. A registered nurse employed by the Visiting Nurse Association of Southeastern Connecticut (VNASC), she supports the health needs of K-4 elementary students and staff in East Lyme Public Schools.
"I went to school so parents could pick up their children's medications," said Pederson, a member of our affiliated VNASC union. "My employer announced there would be a testing facility at L+M Hospital, and they asked if we could staff the facility," she added.
Pederson and several members were hired to screen for COVID-19 at a new drive-through testing center established at the acute care facility in New London. Both the 280-bed hospital and the VNASC are owned and operated by Yale-New Haven Health System (YNHHS). The temporary assignments were the product of union leaders' efforts to engage facility management and network administrators in negotiations to find a mutually agreeable resolution.
"It is a great example of solution-driven unionism," said VNASC Union President Ann Ryan, RN. She added that the effort "shows how collective bargaining empowers members to apply our faith, strength and willingness to work together — the union way — to get everyone through this.
Before they could begin screenings, Pederson and fellow school nurses were trained to put on and take off their personal protective equipment (PPE). When they have to come in contact with patients, they are covered from head to toe in a disposable protective suit and wear respirators and plastic face masks.
At the site, there are usually two nurses on each shift responsible for administering swab tests to those who have been referred by a doctor and have an appointment.
Pederson explained that patients get out of their car and go into a tent to be tested — a nasopharyngeal swab that takes about five seconds. "The 'clean' nurse greets the patient in cars, and the 'collector' nurse wears the suit," she said. Both also hand sanitize and double-glove with each new patient.
The swab is secured and taken by a laboratory tech — members of our affiliated L&M Federation of Technologists. Most patients receive their results in five days; because health professionals are at the highest risk, theirs are expedited.
Pederson is now working three or four days a week in the afternoons at the drive-through site, which is getting busier and reflecting a more diverse patient population. 
"The first week, we saw mostly elderly and patients in their 40s and up," said Pederson. "This week, I tested a 17-month old. Like many healthcare professionals across Connecticut, nurses at drive-through sites are experiencing some PPE shortages. 
"We have to be conservative and very careful," said Pederson. “We are not wearing the yellow gown anymore, and we have to re-evaluate what's more important to cover." 
Reflecting a growing trend towards rationing, Pederson added that "the biggest change is that I have a face shield that is mine for the duration. I sanitize it daily." According to Pederson, the L+M testing site is a well-oiled machine and helps to relieve the anxiety that many patients are feeling. "They are scared. You can see it in their faces. We're all anxious," she added.
While Pederson worries about possibly spreading the virus, she said she appreciates being actively involved. "It's always in the back of mind when I think about my family." She added that "while I'm glad to be able to do this, I hope the virus is defeated soon so the facility and testing won't be needed."

Affiliated union members in Connecticut can also access information and material relevant to their employment sector here at our state federation's website. The latest updates are linked to the main page (in the horizontal menu above) for each of our five divisions.
 
Editors note: includes contributions by Adrienne Coles, AFT.


Manchester/Rockville locals will start having temperature screenings at the beginning of every shift on Monday.
AFT CT has Public Service members who work in many state agencies. Some at the DMV Local 4200A have become sick.This article is about one of those places. The Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles headquarters in Wethersfield will close Friday for a thorough disinfecting of the building.
The move comes after multiple employees at that location tested positive for COVID-19, prompting union leadership to label the building a hot spot for the virus.
The building will undergo a deep electrostatic disinfectant treatment, according to officials, and reopen on Tuesday, March 31 to a skeleton crew of essential staff to keep the agency going.         https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/wethersfield-dmv-to-close-for-deep-cleaning/2245894/

Proposed (draft) plan for Local 5049, L&M RNs to address the membership needs related to the COVID-19 Pandemic.  

Under the provisions of Article IV of the AFT Local 5049  Constitution and  By-Laws create a PRC (Pandemic Response Committee).   
The goal of the PRC will be:

  • To identify the issues related to the COVID-19 Pandemic affecting members.
  • To develop strategies to address the identified issues related to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
  • To organize the information to effectively reach and communicate with all members.
  • To develop and operate a system to reach members at a minimum of once daily with information and status updates.
  • Develop a system of reporting all serious issues affecting members or patients.
  • Maintain a database of reported serious issues with facts supporting each issue.
  • Develop a system to catalog a list of all contract violations.
  • Appoint a sub-committee to monitor contract violations, including filing grievances as required to maintain the integrity of the CBA.
  • Report progress to the AFT Local 5049  E-Board as requested.
  • Coordinate activities and information flow with other local unions and the AFT Field Representative. 
  • The Chairman of the PRC shall be selected by majority of the AFT Local 5049 E-Board.
  • The PRC Chairman will have the ability to recruit and appoint members to the PRC.

CVAN COVID-19 Update from Kelly Trautner

COVID-19 Update 
03/28/2020
PPE and Ventilators - Deal reached on 3rd Supplemental Package - Protecting Essential Workers


A group of people in a kitchen

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Help us continue to call out Trump on his failure to address the PPE crisis.  Our members have taken  And there is evidence that healthcare workers get sicker than other infected patients.(Read more here

Deal reached on 3rd Stimulus Package. A deal was reached late Tuesday on a nearly $2 trillion economic stabilization package to respond to the coronavirus pandemic. AFT and AFSCME successfully pushed (more details below)

Essential Employees.  New materials added to AFT’s Coronavirus Resource Page, including materials for Essential Employees and Implications of Emergency Orders & Declarations on Collective Bargaining.

1- The health and safety of our members, communities and students
HELP US. SIGN AND PROMOTE THE AFT/PPE PETITION, which calls on the administration to act now.       
COVID-19 related school closures have impacted at least 124,000 U.S. public and private schools and affected at least 55.1 million students. Check out our resources: Supporting Students with Disabilities During the COVID-19 Pandemic aims to provide some implementation advice for educators and staff supporting special needs students. While IDEA ensures the availability of a free and appropriate public education, delivering these services to more than 6.5 million eligible recipients today brings unprecedented challenges. (This resource got a shout out in Politico Morning Education this week!)
 Distance Learning Tips offers some practical guidance for teachers and others embarking on an often unexpected journey into distance learning. This resource was initially developed by and is adapted from the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals.  Both new resources can be found on SML

AFT joins letter to drug maker Gilead. AFT joined a letter with MSF (Doctors without Borders), Public Citizen and other groups around the globe, calling on drug maker Gilead to take immediate actions to ensure rapid availability, affordability and accessibility of its experimental therapy remdesivir for the treatment of COVID-19, pending the results of the clinical trials demonstrating its efficacy.     


AFT Affiliates and Members Serving our communities amid Stay At Home and Shelter in Place Orders.  
  • NYSUT Launches campaign to send thanks to our ‘Healthcare Heroes which asks members to send a note of thanks to our healthcare workers, using social media platforms and the hashtag #HealthCareHeroes
  • AFT members of the Rio Rancho School Employees Union (RRSEU) Local 4933came together to create a video making sure their students know how much they care! "...You can count on me...Like 1, 2, 3...I'll be there…
  • Philadelphia Federation of Teachers compiles feedback and suggestions from educators on a remote learning survey
  • Washington Teachers Union members broadcast lessons on local TV. See more here. 

2- The health and safety of first responders, nurses and healthcare workers who are on the front line

AFT affiliates coordinate on mask donation drives. Find more info and share here.  Update since this post, AFT Connecticut is coordinating a CT-based unused mask drive to help save lives. 

WSNA worked extensively with ProPublica to give a real, sobering look at what could lie ahead in this piece written by Ken Armstrong and Viana Devila.

 PLEASE HELP PROMOTE the AFT/PPE Petition.  We must push Trump to invoke the Defense Production Act now, beyond GM and the swipes he has taken at them when they were already moving to produce. 

   
3- The economic health of our country, both long and short term. We need to start with getting money directly into the pockets of Americans facing an event bigger affordability crisis now: struggling to put food on the table, facing job losses and worried about their families and their ability to pay bills

 The House passed CARES Act. (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, a COVID-19 recovery bill). See Randi’s statement here.  Also see Summary of the Bill and Summary of CARES Act Unemployment Provisions.  Also attached a related email from AFT’s state legislation team.

AFL-CIO COVID-19 Federal and State Resources Guide. The AFL-CIO has put together a handy state by state reference guide: https://aflcio.org/covid-19/state-resources

DC- COVID-19 Relief Bill shortchanges DC. It is being unfairly treated as a territory when it has the highest taxes per capita in the nation and a population larger than some states. 

Disease Updates

Pic above: SIUH Northwell nurses, courtesy of Anne Goldman, RN, UFT Vice President for non-DOE members.


Kelly D. Trautner
Director | Health Issues
(Pronouns: she/hers)

American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO

Find our latest COVID-19 Resources and Information at AFT’s Resource Page

 AFT Telephone Town Hall for all AFT members 

There will be a call with Randi on Monday that includes Leader Schumer.  Note that you need to register for the call on the link below.  Also please feel free to share with your activitists.

Eric Lehto
Acting Director of AFT Healthcare Organizing | Organization and Field Services
American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO

From: Felecia Williams, Communications
Sent: Friday, March 27, 2020 7:33 PM
Subject: Join the telephone townhall on Monday

On Monday, March 30, at 5:30 p.m. ET​, we’ll be having another membership telephone town hall. We want to check in with you and give you an update on the status of all the work we’ve done nationally. We’ll also have a psychologist on the call to discuss m
AFT

Over the past few weeks we’ve worked continuously to support our members and our affiliates as they respond to this pandemic.
We’ve had three priorities: First, we must address the health, safety and well-being of our members and communities. Second, we must protect and care for our frontline healthcare practitioners. And third, we must fight for legislation and policy to buffer the short- and long-term economic impact of this pandemic.
We have fixated on getting our healthcare members the personal protective equipment they need, supported locals when schools have closed down, created a wealth of resources for affiliates, and advocated for relief from Congress in the three COVID-19 response bills that have already passed.
On Monday, March 30, at 5:30 p.m. ET, we’ll be having another membership telephone town hall. We want to check in with you and give you an update on the status of all the work we’ve done nationally. We’ll also have a psychologist on the call to discuss mental health strategies for coping with this crisis.
And make sure you share the registration link with your members.
In unity,
Randi Weingarten
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Covid-19 Education
There is much confusion for Healthcare Workers on how the Corona Virus spreads and what protection is needed when caring for a patient with symptoms or a positive test. Some of this confusion comes from what facilities are telling HCWs. They claim that the CDC has stated that Covid-19 is not airborne and I even saw that one hospital claimed a surgical mask would protect from airborne particles. 
It remains the policy of AFT that N95 or better respirators should be used when caring for rule out or positive Covid patients. 
This information is from the CDC. The links above the statements leads yo not the page where they were pulled from.


Q: How should healthcare personnel protect themselves when evaluating a patient who may have COVID-19? 
A: Although the transmission dynamics have yet to be determined, CDC currently recommends a cautious approach to persons under investigation (PUI) for COVID-19. Healthcare personnel evaluating PUI or providing care for patients with confirmed COVID-19 should use, Standard  Transmission-based Precautions. See the Interim Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for Patients with Known or Patients Under Investigation for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Healthcare Settings.

Interim Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for Patients with Known or Patients Under Investigation for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Healthcare Settings.

2. Adhere to Standard and Transmission-Based Precautions

Standard Precautions assume that every person is potentially infected or colonized with a pathogen that could be transmitted in the healthcare setting. Elements of Standard Precautions that apply to patients with respiratory infections, including COVID-19, are summarized below. Attention should be paid to training and proper donning (putting on), doffing (taking off), and disposal of any PPE. This document does not emphasize all aspects of Standard Precautions (e.g., injection safety) that are required for all patient care; the full description is provided in the Guideline for Isolation Precautions: Preventing Transmission of Infectious Agents in Healthcare Settings.
HCP (see Section 5 for measures for non-HCP visitors) who enter the room of a patient with known or suspected COVID-19 should adhere to Standard Precautions and use a respirator or facemask, gown, gloves, and eye protection. When available, respirators (instead of facemasks) are preferred; they should be prioritized for situations where respiratory protection is most important and the care of patients with pathogens requiring Airborne Precautions (e.g., tuberculosis, measles, varicella). Information about the recommended duration of Transmission-Based Precautions is available in the Interim Guidance for Discontinuation of Transmission-Based Precautions and Disposition of Hospitalized Patients with COVID-19
(My comments-The claim that the CDC has said surgical masks are safe when treating patients with Covid-19 symptoms or Covid-19 tested positive are untrue. What the CDC has said is that when supplies of PPE are low, other strategies may need to be utilized, but that these will be less than adequate and that HCWs should return to the use of N95s when possible. The CDC has broken down the strategies for shortages as listed below. They have also said that if all else runs out, scarfs or bandanas MAY be better than nothing. Already, HCWs are adjusting their practice based on reported shortages, including the extended use and reuse of N95s. While this is far less than ideal, it will likely provide more protection than a surgical mask or bandana.)
  • Conventional capacity: measures consist of providing patient care without any change in daily contemporary practices. This set of measures, consisting of engineering, administrative, and PPE controls should already be implemented in general infection prevention and control plans in healthcare settings.
  • Contingency capacity: measures may change daily contemporary practices but may not have any significant impact on the care delivered to the patient or the safety of the HCP. These practices may be used temporarily when demands exceed resources.
  • Crisis capacity: alternate strategies that are not commensurate with contemporary U.S. standards of care. These measures, or a combination of these measures, may need to be considered during periods of expected or known N95 respirator shortages.
HCP use of homemade masks:
In settings where facemasks are not available, HCP might use homemade masks (e.g., bandana, scarf) for care of patients with COVID-19 as a last resort. However, homemade masks are not considered PPE, since their capability to protect HCP is unknown. Caution should be exercised when considering this option. Homemade masks should ideally be used in combination with a face shield that covers the entire front (that extends to the chin or below) and sides of the face.
Jan and I sent the following letter to the Governor’s office and DPH today:

Barbara and Jonathan, 

We thank you for speaking with us on Friday and listening to the grave issues and concerns our nurses are experiencing and for sharing the online link. We are sharing the link with our members.

Barbara, on the call you mentioned that hospitals provide a report each day and they are classified as Red, Yellow, or Green. Could you please clarify -
1. Does the classification determine which CDC “Strategy for Optimizing the supply of N95 respirators” the individual hospitals follow, or is that determined in some other manner? 
2. Could we have access to that daily report data?

In speaking with the nurses in most hospitals, they seem to be following the CDC “Crisis Alternate Strategies.” This is alarming as Backus Hospital told us on Tuesday that they had enough inventory and were confident of their supply chain - something they repeated in a TV interview. I hope you can understand our trust issues with the hospitals. As we asked on our call, it is our hope that the Governor and his team will be able to require all hospitals to report the accurate number of all supplies. This knowledge will give our nurses - who are working hard on the front lines - the peace of mind they deserve and need to properly do their jobs.

We need one set of facts. The facilities are causing unnecessary confusion for healthcare workers on how the Corona Virus spreads and what protection is needed when caring for a patient with symptoms or a positive test. They claim that the CDC has stated that Covid-19 is not airborne.

Yesterday, Hartford Healthcare hospitals issued one surgical mask (not an N95) to each employee working in patient care areas, that they must reuse. Nurses caring for symptomatic patients who are awaiting test results have also been given surgical masks, not N95 respirators. In fact, on the Covid floor - A3 - at Backus Hospital, the N95 respirators are locked up and unavailable to staff. It remains the policy of AFT that N95 or better respirators should be used when caring for rule out or positive Covid patients. We must ask again, what is the plan when our vitally important nurses begin to fall to the virus?

Additionally, staff have been falsely told that surgical masks will protect them from airborne particles.

Hartford Healthcare’s statement:
5. What determines which type of mask will be provided? 
A: All colleagues in the care facilities described in #2 above will be able to receive a surgical mask. This is the most commonly used mask and it provides protection against airborne particles. N95 respirators will be available only in specific clinical areas, based on best-practice clinical guidance regarding the risk level of infection. Specific guidelines for PPE use are outlined in the following documents: “Hartford HealthCare Guidelines for Regarding Respiratory Protection for COVID-19” on HHC Connect HERE; and “Hartford HealthCare Guidelines Regarding Respiratory Protection for Environmental Services” on HHC Connect HERE.
We urge the Governor’s team and DPH to order Hartford Healthcare to correct their statement and notify all staff that surgical masks do not protect against airborne particles; this is not the purpose of this mask. We must also implore DPH to order the use of N95 or better respirators for all healthcare workers who are in contact with symptomatic or test positive Covid-19 patients in Connecticut’s hospitals, VNAs, SNFs, clinics, and elsewhere, even if this means we must reuse these respirators, which of course is not ideal. As you know, our healthcare professionals cannot care for our patients if we are sick ourselves. 

As we mentioned on Friday, we are hearing repeated cases where nurses are being sent home to quarantine and use their own PTO. This happened to a Backus CCU nurse just yesterday. Please find attached an email we received from Janice Stauffer RN, our Danbury Nurse Local President. In it, she describes the lengths her nurses are going to in order to protect themselves and she also describes some of the PTO issues that we discussed on the call.  It is our position that time missed from work due to being sent home should be paid without a charge to PTO. The worker is not sick, not on vacation, not taking a personal day, etc. The worker reported to work ready, willing and able to work but was sent home. Is this how we treat our heroes? Senator Kushner is also helping us investigate this.

We know it is not ideal, and we truly do not want to cause more panic in CT, but if necessary, in order to get our healthcare providers the protection they deserve, or at least the correct knowledge about protective gear inventories we are willing to share this letter with our friends in the legislature and the press.

John and Jan


DPH online form for complaints and concerns. Please share with members.

My sister Mary in Vermont sent this and I’d like to share with you. Take it as a thank you for being on the frontlines and know that we who work away from the bedside will not stop fighting for you.
Be safe my friends,
John and Jan






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