Corona Virus Update 3/31

It has been 25 days since our first positive case of Corvid-19 in Connecticut. We have had 3,128 confirmed cases, (up 559 since yesterday), 69 Connecticut residents have died, 608 are now hospitalized. At least 6 AFT CT Healthcare members have tested positive and some of our non-healthcare members also.

There seems to be much confusion on what hospital policies are on PPE and N95s. Members are being told difference things, even within the same hospital. I spoke to Chanel 8 today and told them as much. 

It is not for lack of trying. This is just one of many examples of a request for clarification.

Good morning Donna, 

it is beyond disheartening that again yesterday, this union was not provided the YALE update concerning COVID-19. The attached copy was provided by a member rather than by HR as previously requested on March 10, 2020. As well on March 20, 2020 you indicated this matter of the union receiving requested information would be remedied. As recent as yesterday March 30, 2020 I requested an update on this concern (see email below).

 During this time of EMERGENCY (with people’s lives on the line) is not a time to be denying the union requested information. The membership has questions and the union needs to be able to address those questions with the latest information available.

 For various reasons every member does not have easy access to the communication you send out electronically. If you as an employer are not assuring that every employee is fully aware of the changes in policy, it is a failure. As well the union has the inherent right to the information being communicated to members of our bargaining units.  Given the chaos of the COVID-19 pandemic a slight delay would reasonable, however eleven days is beyond acceptable, when it would seem the issue could have been remedied by simply adding the union to the distribution list;  (From: SIMCovid19 Sent: Monday, March 30, 2020 5:49 PM To: SIMCovid19)   

 The threat to our members, their family members, the patients they serve, and the public as a whole demands this is not a time to deny the union information it is legally entitled to. It is requested this matter be rectified immediately.

In Windham Hospital a PCT today was told to take off a N95 because they were in a Covid-19 positive room “unless a patient is receiving an aerosol used oxygen assistance, while in the ED, N95s are being worn.

It seems that the hospitals are unwilling or unable to provide clear leadership.

We will have to do this for them.

I will be working with local leaders to come up with what WE believe the policy should be (at a minimum) on PPE and PTO.

Speaking of clarity…….

WASHINGTON – Today, AFSCME, AFT, NEA and SEIU sent a letter condemning the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for lobbying President Trump against using the Defense Production Act to direct emergency production of life-saving Personal Protective Equipment for workers battling COVID-19:

March 29, 2020

Thomas J. Donohue Chief Executive Officer U.S.Chamber of Commerce

1615 H Street, N.W.

Washington, DC 20062

Dear Mr. Donohue:

As our nation faces a public health and economic emergency, it is outrageous that frontline healthcare workers who are heroically caring for our loved ones during this crisis are facing a severe shortage of the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) they need to keep themselves, the people they care for, and their families safe and healthy.

It is immoral that frontline healthcare workers are forced to reuse masks and other PPE because employers and states have been forced to scavenge for protective equipment, with the market value of masks now selling for up to five times the production price.

Today, millions of workers are on the job providing healthcare and essential services without the safety protections they need—when we put frontline workers at risk, we put our entire population’s health and safety in jeopardy.

Right now, nurses are assessing high-risk patients, school janitors are deep cleaning classrooms, teachers’ aides aredeliveringmealstochildrenathome,homecareprovidersarecaringforthemostvulnerable, public service workers are maintaining essential services, and cashiers are scanning groceries—all at greater risk of contracting the coronavirus without enough PPE to lessen exposure. It’s those same workers who, after a long shift, return home to their families and community not knowing what they were exposed to that day. It’s clear: our country can’t safely get back to work without first protecting those who are currently working on the front lines.

On behalf of the eight million healthcare, service, education, and public service workers represented by our unions, we demand that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce join with us to prioritize the health and safety of working Americans as a way to restore the financial well-being of our country during the COVID-19 crisis.

We condemn the Chamber’s efforts to lobby President Trump against using the Defense Production Act to direct emergency production of life-saving PPE and medical equipment such as ventilators. In times of extreme national crisis, we must put politics and profits aside, and we must come together to do what’s

      

best for people: that means producing and distributing more equipment, quickly, by any means necessary. Lives literally depend on it.

In order to combat the spread of coronavirus, we must increase the supply of life-saving medical equipment and PPE, including gloves, N95 masks, face shields and gowns, to provide the highest standards of safe care and protect workers. As part of the Defense Production Act, President Trump has the power to prioritize the distribution of existing supplies and accelerate the production of certain products, like the ventilators used to treat the sickest patients with coronavirus and other serious illnesses. But rather than supporting the use of his authority as Commander in Chief to get vitally-needed supplies and protective gear, President Trump at the urging of the Chamber of Commerce is delaying action. The idea that the Chamber would put bottom-line profits and adherence to some mistaken principle of capitalism ahead of the safety of American workers and the public at large is difficult to fathom.

President Trump’s decision to use the Defense Powers Act to compel GM to manufacture ventilators shows what is possible. It should be only the beginning, not a one-off action done out of spite. The president must use his powers to ensure that every frontline worker has enough PPE to protect themselves and others for the duration of this crisis.

Every day we delay the production and distribution of vital PPE is costing lives and livelihoods and may drive the eventual collapse of businesses, from Main Street to Wall Street. While your organization insists that the Defense Protection Act imposes “red tape on companies precisely when they need flexibility to deal with closed borders and shuttered factories,” imagine the respiratory therapist who must track down a ventilator while also managing a patient’s every last breath.

The lack of PPE has further amplified this crisis because we don’t have clear guidance for workers in critical jobs based on science; rather it is driven by the lack of PPE and insufficient testing. Guidance has become cloudy and less stringent because there simply isn’t enough PPE or testing for people to do the jobs that are critical for our country to function.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, representing the largest, most powerful corporations, can do what’s right for all working people—Black, white, brown and Asian Pacific Islander—who keep your businesses running and your doors open.

We, as presidents of four of the largest unions representing working people in America, urge you to join us in calling on President Trump to exercise all his powers to fight the war against COVID-19 by speeding the production of urgently needed Personal Protective Equipment and ensure it is routed to states for distribution across healthcare and other front- line service industries.

We are inspired by the frontline workers who are putting their lives on this line for the American people, and by the can-do spirit of cooperation evident in families and neighborhoods across the country. We are a nation that mobilized all of our resources to win World War II, created the Marshall Plan to rebuild war-torn Europe, and put a man on the moon. We can do anything we put our minds to, together. But we need national leadership from the Trump Administration and the business community to work with working people to defeat this pandemic and protect all workers.

Sincerely,

 Mary Kay Henry, President

Service Employees International Union (SEIU)

Lee Saunders, President

American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)

Randi Weingarten, President

American Federation of Teachers (AFT)

Lily Eskelsen García, President National Education Association (NEA)

This came to me from the CEO of Hartford Healthcare. It made me sick because I know what is happening in HHC hospitals. As one employee told me, “talks out of both sides of his mouth.”

Dear Colleagues, 

Yesterday, Gov. Ned Lamont invited me on behalf of Hartford HealthCare to join his new Governor’s Health System Response Team, and serve as co-chair along with two other Connecticut healthcare leaders.  He asked us to lead and coordinate efforts across all Connecticut hospitals and advise the Governor’s Unified Command structure on what is needed to make sure that, across the state, we have the needed resources, supplies, and personnel to make sure we are able to care our residents now and for what’s ahead.

Please remember.

If any of your members become ill, we want to know. 

If any of your members is placed in a situation due to lack of PPE that makes them feel unsafe, we want to know.

If any of your members loses pay or is told they will have to use PTO time, we want to know.

Please continue to push back against unsafe or unfair work conditions. When we push back they back down.

Many have reached out to me asking what they could do to help. Today I received a FB message from my niece in China and a DTC chair in a neighboring town. We are working on an idea of how that community support can be used effectively. 

Thank you as always for all you do. You are the heroes, even if hospitals don’t treat you that way.

Be safe

John

John Brady RN

Vice President

AFT Connecticut

Corona Virus Update 3/30

We are 24 days since our first confirmed case of Covid-19 in Connecticut. We have had 2,571 confirmed cases (up 578 since yesterday), 36 dead, 517 hospitalized, 14,600 tested.

Right now I am very upset. I have been on calls all day with  local connecticut leaders and have heard their horror stories about the lack of and the rationing of PPE, especially N95 respirators and difficulty with PTO when they are forced to stay home because of illness or quarantine. Members not being notified that one of the patients they had cared for tested positive.  

Then I was on a call with Randi and leaders from around the country and heard their stories. 25 of our nurses in New York hospitalized, 2 on ventilators. Ohio has a nurse on a ventilator. Washington state had one nurse lose custody of her child to her ex-husband because she could endanger the child by bringing home Covid-19, and a doctor who was fired for speaking out.

Then I tune in for the Governor’s daily task force press conference and sitting with him are his “Health System Response Team,” his “experts” he said. The CEO of the Connecticut Hospital Association, and the presidents of Yale, Hartford Healthcare, Nuvance. These are the very people that are telling the public one thing while they do another.

I am insulted for the Healthcare Professionals of Connecticut.

I am very disappointed. 

You are disappointed.

But we must not be silent.

We must not give up.

Governor Lamont Announces Governor’s Health System Response Team  Posted on March 30, 2020  HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced details on the latest collaboration to assist in the state’s coordinated response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He is appointing the CEOs of three of the largest hospital systems in Connecticut – Hartford HealthCare, Nuvance Health, and Yale New Haven Health – to serve as co-chairs of the Governor’s Health System Response Team. In coordination with the Connecticut Hospital Association and the state’s other hospitals, the health care leaders will advise the governor, the Department of Public Health and the rest of the state’s Emergency Support Functions in the Unified Command structure on the proper allocation and distribution of needed resources, supplies, and personnel, throughout the duration of the public health emergency. The co-chairs of the Governor’s Health System Response Team include: Jeffrey Flaks, President and CEO of Hartford Healthcare: Backus Hospital, Charlotte Hungerford Hospital, Hartford Hospital, The Hospital of Central Connecticut, MidState Medical Center, St. Vincent’s Medical Center, Windham Hospital John Murphy, MD, President and CEO Nuvance Health: Danbury Hospital, New Milford Hospital, Norwalk Hospital, Sharon Hospital Marna Borgstrom, CEO Yale New Haven Health: Bridgeport Hospital, Greenwich Hospital, Lawrence & Memorial Hospital, Yale New Haven Hospital, Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital The three hospital systems represent close to 70 percent of the state’s hospital infrastructure across 14 acute care hospitals and numerous additional facilities. The CEOs will also work in close collaboration with the Connecticut Hospital Association to ensure that all hospitals are represented in discussions on resource allocations. This group has already been consulting on a regular basis with the Lamont administration prior to the confirmation of the first positive case in the state, and that work will provide the foundation of the plans and actions as the state’s health care system handles an expected surge of COVID-19 cases. Governor Lamont said, “Our state is going to get through this by working together, and that includes making sure our hospitals are at the table working directly with my administration to ensure they have access to the resources they need. These are experts in the healthcare field and our state is incredibly fortunate to have such experience providing counsel as we look to keep as many of our residents safe and healthy as possible.” Flaks said, “I am inspired every day by my colleagues in health care across the state. They are true heroes, working in challenging times. Our focus is clear: we are doing all we can to stop the spread of COVID-19, protect the health and safety of our patients and our colleagues, and make sure we are ready to serve Connecticut and those affected by the virus. This is a once-in-a lifetime public health emergency and there is no doubt – together, we are stronger.” Dr. Murphy said, “As we continue to navigate through this unprecedented health emergency, we know our collective response for the people of Connecticut will be stronger because of this collaborative approach.” Borgstrom said, “A virus like COVID-19 does not differentiate by town, city or state lines. It doesn’t respect how big or small a hospital is when it strikes a community. If we are to be successful in fighting the spread of COVID-19, we need to work together across regions and across health care systems.” Jennifer Jackson, CEO of the Connecticut Hospital Association, said, “Connecticut’s hospitals are prepared and committed to fighting COVID-19 together. The ongoing, strong collaboration among all hospitals across the state will improve the care for Connecticut patients battling this disease.” We have expressed our displeasure  with the governor’s office. Below.........these are ther REAL Healthcare Experts,

Danbury has 6 nurses confirmed with Covid and Janice has requested nurses to send an email to our union office when they have symptoms.

 Senator Julie Kushner is working with the 3 Locals at the hospital to improve the situation. The Locals have held firm on PPE, including N95 for all Covid patients, rule out or positive tested. 

A couple of letters from Danbury nurses

Dear Janice,
I know you will get a lot of letters like this from nurses right now...
I have willing floated out of the acute rehabilitation unit over the last 2 weeks. I had even sent an email to my manager which explained that I would be willing to work with the COVID-19 patients. I am 60 years old with little responsibilities at home other than my husband and pets. My first place to be floated was to 9 East on March 24^th and 25^th.
I was to 'orient' to the floor/9 East. First the nurses we worked with were great! Honestly, I went home physically and mentally exhausted! I never stopped running those two shifts. I do not know how they did it without the extra help, there were 2 of us from rehab! I started IVs, admitted and discharged patients, gave 9 pm medications, cleaned up patients, and went for things and medications needed by nurses and PCTs while in an isolation room. It was hectic, patients needing close care and monitoring, others being admitted and discharged.
Last week the nurse patient ratio was 1:4, again let me reiterate that there were 2 extra nurses, and the manager as well! Yet despite the 'extra' help everyone was busy. Patients lives are at stake, their requirements and oxygenation needs change quickly. Safety of the patients and the nurses should especially be important at this time. The most important indication or requirement needed for this 'safety' is to have the proper amount of staff and not overburden the frontline workers. Patient and nurse 'protection' includes proper staffing. It would be different if there was not 'enough' nurses or PCTs, but daily personnel are being down staffed.
I understand the ratio of nurse to patient is now 1:5. I can only shake my head in sadness and disbelief that the ratio has so changed! These patients can become acutely ill quickly, the reason they have been admitted and not sent home is that their chest x-rays and/or CT scans clearly indicate Coronavirus!
I am concerned that the N95 masks, and face shields, hair covers are somewhere watched over by a manager in a office so that we would not use too many! If one is needed, you must search for the manager to give you one! We need to make sure that we are adequately although ('adequate' should not be the 'norm'), protecting ourselves. We should be at no time denied anything that is important in protecting ourselves and our patients.
This is not the time to be frugal with supplies or patientcare. Frontline workers: whether it is a nurse or PCT should be protected by proper PPE and more than adequate staffing! I was told when on 9 East that we were only 'supposed' to go into rooms 4 times a shift, obviously not always possible. That can only happen if there is enough staffing so that we can spread out the amount of time with each patient with enough staff to monitor the patient.
I am so proud of the young nurses I worked with on 9 East, some barely out of school, some with young families. They are not afraid to do their jobs! But they are being sent out in the battlefield, it is a war to save these patients, but the right workers and amount of workers as well as the 'weapons' needed need to be correct. An analogy would be sending a fireman to battle a house fire with a squirt gun. COVID-19 patients are house fires and as we know can not be 'put out' without enough people and equipment.
I am concerned as well of the possible cross contamination of patients and workers. Should there not be 'clean' and 'dirty' nurses. Nurses who work on the COVID-19 patients in my opinion should not be working on other floors who do not have COVID patients?! Or at least a semblance of trying to do so? Even if it means perhaps slightly overstaffing the COVID-19 floors? And should there be any double rooms for patients right now? Due to the possibility of transmission, patients may have COVID-19 without exhibiting any symptoms yet.
This crisis has given us as nurses and should give Nuvance Health an opportunity to learn, consider short- and long-term visions of what is possible. More 'shared governance' and understanding among the work force. We as nurses can be brave and ask for a better hospital environment and working conditions. This crisis requires us collectively to favor people (our patients and employees) ... to favor people over profit. We also must realize that this or another crisis are not going away. Our 'essential' work as nurses need to be rewarded and valued. Which in turn will benefit Nuvance Health.
I also cannot believe that we are 'saving' our protective equipment such as masks in brown paper bags for further use.
I am also concerned about the stress and possible depression among our health care workers, it needs to be addressed and we need support. One such supportive measure can be better staffing levels, not 'adequate', not leaving work physically and mentally exhausted.
Another big issue is childcare issues due to school closings, a study by researchers at Stanford University and the University of California  suggest a loss of 8% of staff, some have put it up to almost 20%! Perhaps there could be a consideration of 4-hour shifts for nurses?!

Thank you for letting me vent, Sincerely,
Jannis RN

Hello Kelly,

     I am sending you the information from a nurse on 12 Tower this weekend that was emailed to me.  It is so important that you understand the clinical end of things to get our concerns heard.

       

Hi Janice,

Here is the info on my experience this weekend on 12T. I worked fri, sat and sunday.

 " On Friday we were being pushed to go to 5 patients. we pushed back on this but it continued throughout the weekend. On sunday 2 nurses were at 5:1. After much calling and discussion with AHM we were sent a helper from the OR. She was a huge help but 5:1 is too many. 4:1 is more manageable. Although this may change as our acuity is going up. As of yesterday, pts with increasing oxygen need are being placed on NRB masks and placed in prone position on the floor. These pts are very high risk and high acuity. If they move off onto their back their oxygen sat are dropping and we are then having to renter the room too often. We also need more Rn helpers. We cannot use PCTs as helpers when we are giving meds or needing oxygen to be adjusted. .I am all for trying to delay or avoid intubation for these patients but we need to be able to safely and adequately monitor them with adequate staff. There are multiple staff RNs being cancelled ,downstaffed every shift while we are drowning. I told AHM manager that their lack of sending adequate staffing will kill both patients and staff.Staff offering to come help and are being told "no we don't need you" while I am in tears on 12T. AHM just shakes her  head and says "I hear you" but sends no help.

 We Have also been instructed to discard our N95 mask at the end of our shift  after caring for COVID19 + patients. We are a rule out floor. When i left yesterday my patients did not have results back. So I am to save my mask for the next shift. I am not back until Thursday. These patients will be gone then and I  have no way to know if any of them came back positive or not. So what to do with my mask. I don't want to waste but don't want to risk re wearing a contaminated mask. We were not allowed face sheilds form materials as we were told they are not necessary. Yet all of 9t nurses are wearing them. Even on the rule out side. Told we are not to wear the bouffants as not needed. Yet they are being worn in other areas including outside where the testing is being done. I have tested/reswabbed multiple patient s this weekend.  Why are their not clear consistent standards for PPE throughout the hospital. WE ALL need to have the same standards for safety and they need to be clear and consistent.

  I am wasting PPE as I have had to leave a room to go get a med from med room as there is no RN available to do it. This is a waste of PPE and the time it takes to doff and re don again. Plus I am in and out of rooms too much.This is risking all the staff.  We need helpers to safely don and doff as we have been instructed  to do. Often no one is available and there is a pt need and we go in. This is unsafe and I will file unsafe every shift for this reason alone.

  We are keeping our computers outside the rooms as they cannot be plugged in and there are not enough to go in each room. As a result we need to take our meds and scanner into the rooms and scan with the door shut. If there is no RN outside the door to make sure meds are scanned and are correct ( also to get past the alerts ie. 1st dose education, pain assessments,etc) we are risking our patients. A PCT can't do this!!!

 . Lack of support form ancillary services .

'     Yesterday the light in the staff bathroom needed a new bulb. Facilities stated they could only come to the floor for a critical need. How is this not a critical need. The BR is pitch black. I guess now we have to just not use the bathroom.

  We are now being asked to sign for meal trays so we can be held responsible when pts complain their food is not hot. If I have just left a room I am not going back in to deliver a tray. I also will not sign for trays or be held responsible for cold food when I am just trying to keep someone alive. This is ridiculous.

  Walgreens will not deliver meds to the unit. At least yesterday they came up to the elevator bank with them so I could send my pt home with their meds.

The lack of support form the hospital after our whole staff was exposed  has been discussed in a prior email. I am one of the "lucky" ones who did not become ill. I'm still not sure I shouldn't have been tested. I have asked our staff members to email you about their individual experiences with this exposure.

  Sorry it is a lot. Thank you again for your support."

     

      Nurses are exposed to Covid and testing negative and willing to work although being told they need to stay home while using their PTO.  They are basically being locked out of work and they should be paid.

              

              Sincerely,

                    Janice

Norwich Democratic Town Committee reached out to me to ask how they could help the Nurses of Backus Hospital with a donation. We’re very appreciative and trying to see how we can work it out. Already, the Plainfield Police Union has donated lunch a couple of times to the Plainfield ED.

I am confused by this that came out from Hartford Healthcare because they state that “Strick PPE guidence for droplet and airborne precasutions continue to apply, yet they restrict staff caring for “rule out” patient s to surgical masks.

From: "Gravell, Emily" <Emily.Gravell@hhchealth.org>
Date: March 30, 2020 at 7:02:03 AM EDT
To: Backus Everyone Distribution List <BackusEveryone@hhchealth.org>, Windham Hospital Staff <WindhamHospitalStaff@hhchealth.org>
Subject: RE:  COVID-19 | 3.27 East Region- Staff Update



Good morning-

In an effort to keep staff informed on latest COVID-19 policies and updates impacting the East Region, you will begin receiving a daily update. Please find the latest information below and attached (for printing purposes): 

What you need to know today:

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

• Each employee will be given 1 surgical mask after screening Friday through Monday.
• Staff working in patient care areas should wear a mask at all times.
• Strict PPE guidelines for droplet and airborne precautions continue to apply.

This weekend #UniversityHealthProfessionals #union member, @uconnhealth research assoc Elifho Obopilwe retrofitted masks to #GetUsPPE for #Coronavirus frontline caregivers. #COVID19 #UConnHealthLabor @AFTHealthcare @AFTHigherEd @AFT_PE @AFLCIO @ConnAFLCIO (credit Gus Mazzocca) https://t.co/u7eMMD6aIn

The VNA of SE CT reports L&M may stop doing community (drive up) testing shortly due to a lack of tests. They would be available for hospital testing and healthcare workers.

Brief summery of where L&M RN's are.

Organized By Field Rep 3/13/20- A Quad coalition was formed of the 4 L&M locals a demand to bargain was sent on issues beginning to arise such as close of depts. and lack of PPE. This group also had follow up conference call last night to plan if Hospital doesn't meet our demands. A MOA going to hosp. wed with response request by Thurs.

L&M has not met to discuss our demands at the hospital. The VNA I think has had movement.

The hospital led by HR 6 days a week since 3-16-20 has had a conference call with the Union Presidents and Field Rep.

Todays report of Numbers is 

3+ covid patients on Resp floor and 2 rule outs

2+covid in ICU 1 vented and 1 rule out.

We have has patients come from Fishers Island, New York by ferry

We have outpatient depts. closed decrease of staff and forced to use PTO.

Not following contract language. We are requesting retraining so these nurses can get EPIC training from IT. 

Testing is being done on our campus. RN's from VNA manning that station.

Todays #'s 657 Tests have been done

31+Covid in community 

255 results pending.

We have had employees exposed to +covid pts. and hosp. not testing or isolating telling them to wait for symptoms.

Some units PPE improved but not all. Reusing N-95. Lack of shields for PaPrs a problem.

Thanks 

will kept you posted

Dale Cunningham

Sec/Treasurer AFT Local 5049

Some Other updates from HHC Locals

Natchaug:

• MOU: Sent us MOU (same as all HHC locals). We submitted a counter proposal. No further discussion on MOU. Having regular discussions with HR over a number of topics, with a decently collaborative relationship.
• N95/Surgical Masks: All employees can have a surgical mask. They do not have any N95s. HHC stopped fit testing them for it several years ago. I complained to HR and they said no one with COVID-19 would stay there since they are behavioral health. But then there was a COVID-19 patient who was not transferred to another hospital.
• Other info: At least three nurses tested positive for COVID-19. Several more out waiting on test results.

Backus:

• MOU: Sent us MOU (same as all HHC locals). We submitted a counter proposal. Had two follow-up convos with HR and their lawyer. Couldn’t reach an agreement.
• Contract extension: Still have not gotten a response on an extension. They told us that they plan to agree to it, just trying to figure out how long the extension should be.
• N95/Surgical mask: Policy keeps changing, but believe it is the following. N95 for aerosol procedure only and can be used several times. Surgical mask/face shield/gloves for other covid patients (confirmed and rule out). Surgical mask for all employees, but just heard rumor today that employees may have to reuse the same mask for a week.

UHP:

• MOU: Union rejected MOU until there is more of a need for one.
• N95/Surgical mask: Researching, will update tomorrow. 

Bridgeport nurses (HHC at home): 

• Sent us MOU (same as all HHC locals). We submitted a counter proposal. No further discussion on MOU.

To the best of my knowledge, please help me fill this in (and please let me know if I’m wrong)

N95 use.                   Rule out     Positive test   “High risk” procedure 

HHC.                             N.                   N.                           Y

UConn.                          Y.                    Y.                           Y

L&M.                               Y.                 Y.                           Y

VNA SE CT.                    N.                 N.                                             

Danbury/NM.                 Y.                   Y.                          Y

Prospect.                        Y.                   Y.                           Y

Johnson.                         

CHS. 

You know by now what out position is on PPE. Full Airborne precautions for suspected (rule out) or confimed Covid-19 patients.

PTO time should not need to be used under most circumstances. Paid Administrative Leave should be offered. (See your field rep for individual cases, we have a legal opinion)

MOU’s should be reasonable and negotiated, not imposed.

Contract extensions are reasonable and employers should not deny them.

You are working incredibly hard and I know you are tired and worried. You are worried you’ll bring the virus home to you family, that you’ll spread it to others patients, and that you’ll become ill yourself.

I can’t promise you anything but this.

I will not stop fighting for you.

Jan will not stop fighting for you.

Randi will not stop fighting for you. 

YOU are the experts.

YOU are the hero’s. 

Thank you and be safe,

John Brady RN

Vice President

AFT Connecticut

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

Thu, 03/26/2020 - 5:30pm

In an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19 (novel coronavirus), Governor Ned Lamont nearly two weeks ago issued an executive order closing all public schools in Connecticut. Among the unintended consequences were furloughs and layoffs of education support personnel — including nurses and health professionals — in districts across the state. AFT Connecticut and affiliated local union leaders responded to the crisis by negotiating opportunities to re-deploy affected members to the frontlines of the pandemic. 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

TOP LINES

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. 

https://twitter.com/MayorBowser/status/1243196050246176770

Disease Updates

• COVID-19 cases nearly 118K in the US,  over 650K worldwide. The U.S. is officially COVID-19’s epicenter.
• While we need innovation of  vaccination and therapeutic drugs to treat COVID-19, it also remains important to ensure affordable access to all. Article here. 
• Here is an info session about protecting our families recorded with Dr. David Price from Weill Cornell Medical Center (03/22)  

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)

T: 202-393-7991 |  F: 202-783-2014 |  E: ktrautne@aft.org

American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO

555 New Jersey Ave. N.W. | Washington, DC 20001 | 202-879-4597

http://www.aft.org| http://www.facebook.com/AFTunion| www.twitter.com/AFTunion

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

T: 612-968-0818| E: elehto@aft.org

American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO

555 New Jersey Ave. N.W. | Washington, DC 20001 | 202-879-4400

www.aft.org | www.facebook.com/AFTunion | www.twitter.com/AFTunion

---

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

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. If you want to make sure you’re on the call, please register here by noon on Monday. And make sure you share the registration link with your members. In unity, Randi Weingarten

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.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/faq.html

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.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/infection-control/control-recommendations.html

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.)

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/ppe-strategy/index.html

• 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.

• Complete the online form(FLIS Complaint Submission) in its entirety to the extent possible, including your contact information
• https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fportal.ct.gov%2FDPH%2FFacility-Licensing--Investigations%2FFacility-Licensing--Investigations-Section-FLIS%2FFLIS-Complaint-Submission&data=02%7C01%7CJBrady%40aftct.org%7Cf16ad5c8000e4d742be508d7d29e2c00%7Cc912f9978344453ea9546829e629feb3%7C0%7C0%7C637209449103348061&sdata=4vdiXls4cyomsYxt4Xj51ZeS3uAdhSJYNUc2FMhYM0Q%3D&reserved=0

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

https://boston.cbslocal.com/2020/03/23/coronavirus-berklee-virtual-orchestra-what-the-world-needs-now/