Tri-state area preparations for dealing with possible Ebola cases
NEW YORK (WABC) -- Amid growing concerns about Ebola, preparations are continuing throughout the Tri-State area for dealing with the virus.
AIRPORTS
As part of the New York area's preparedness for dealing with possible Ebola cases, the Port Authority said it is distributing sealed "High-Risk Kits" to 2,000 police officers.
Each contains a gown, a face mask with eye shields, non-latex gloves, a disinfecting handwipe, and a red "Biohazard" bag for infectious materials.
The protective gear has been distributed to first responders at JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark airport, according to Steve Coleman, Acting Director of Media Relations for Port Authority.
"We have distributed personal protective gear to our first responders in the event it may be needed to deal with the Ebola situation, especially at the airports," said Coleman. "As you probably know, there could be occasions when our officers are in contact with a person suspected of having the virus. Our actions in distributing this gear is above and beyond anything required by the CDC and is done for the protection of our employees."
The airports have begun screening passengers arriving from three West African countries, where passengers temperatures are taken and health questions are asked.
The Port Authority says no passengers arriving at Kennedy Aiport since screenings began Saturday have been identified with the virus. The CDC ran an inter-agency drill at JFK last Friday.
Eyewitness News reporter Toni Yates has more from Newark Liberty International Airport.
NEW YORK CITY
FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro issued a directive taking effect Wednesday, that only EMS ambulance workers with 80 hours of training in "hazardous tactics" respond to all 911 calls involving anyone with a fever who has recently traveled to West Africa.
They will be the only ones allowed in contact with the patients, unless they need to be taken to a hospital immediately.
The Fire Commissioner has ordered the following:
1. Use of our specially trained HAZ TAC ambulance crews (EMS) to treat stable patients with suspected Ebola. (Initially, non-HAZ TAC EMS crews may assess a patient and treat them if life-threatening condition exists, e.g., cardiac arrest, unconscious, etc.) All members must operate at all times with all required PPE - personal protective equipment - for potentially infectious patients.
2. Those responding units will wear respirators that are a higher level of protection than is currently required by the CDC.
3. Those members will soon be wearing full body suits as well.
4. Removal of equipment worn when treating a potential Ebola patient will be supervised at the hospital by another HAZ TAC ambulance crew, HAZMAT Fire Company or additionally trained members to ensure there is no exposure or contamination.
Public school principals will be getting a letter from Health Commissioner Dr Mary Bassett and Schools Chancellor Carmen Faria on school Ebola preparation and facts.
This guidance is meant for school administration. Individual schools will then decide appropriate steps or notification to parents and students, if necessary.
MTA officials say protocols in place already to disinfect and destroy contaminated waste in the transit system, and that unannounced drills are being conducted for things like someone on subway train becoming ill.
NEW YORK STATE
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo addressed the topic, as well, saying that eight hospitals in the state will be capable of treating patients. He identified them as Mount Sinai Hospital, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Bellevue Hospital, Long Island Jewish Medical Center - North Shore LIJ , and Montefiore Medical Center in New York City, as well as Stony Brook University Hospital, SUNY Upstate Medical University at Syracuse and University of Rochester Medical Center elsewhere in the state.
He said New York has been preparing with hospital drills and equipment checks, and that "we have the advantage of watching what happened in Dallas" and learning from the "mistakes that were made."
"I think Americans are justified in their concerns," Cuomo said. "It looks like it has not been handled well, and that has increased anxiety. I understand that."
There are no cases of Ebola in New York State.
LONG ISLAND
Nassau County health officials announced stepped-up preparations for hospitals and healthcare workers.
Nassau University Medical Center demonstrated the decontamination suits its workers will be wearing.
The hospital did its best to educate its workers about the blue protective suits they currently have in their emergency room, versus the white suits they hope to have by week's end.
At the same facility, New York state lawmakers announced they want an Ebola readiness review, because the CDC has its eyes on the country's four bio-containment centers, hospitals which are nowhere near here.
"The subtotal of beds in those four centers: 19. So that in the readiness review, we need to assess whether there ought to be something like that in New York, and where," said New York State Senate Health Chairman Kemp Hannon.
Local hospitals and clinics are taking precautions against the possibility of Ebola reaching this area, beginning with a more detailed screening process for patients, but also fully equipping the staff.
Cuomo said health care workers are prepared, but said another challenge is preventing panic.
"I understand the thought of it is frightening, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. we know how to deal with it medically, we are prepared to deal with it medically," said Cuomo. "I know we have gone through a number of crises in New York and we tend to be a little anxious, which can be self-protective. But there is no reason to be unduly anxious or panic, the situation is under control."
NEW JERSEY
Gov. Chris Christie met Thursday with the state health commissioner and homeland security director, and said they are working closely with the federal government on Ebola precautions.
"Our health care systems are prepared and protocols that need to be followed. The fact is folks need to be cognizant and aware of this stuff. But no one should be out there tonight significantly worried about it in New Jersey at the moment. We've had no reported cases of Ebola here, and we're going to do everything we can to be ready in case we confront it," said Christie.
CONNECTICUT
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy is ordering all hospitals in the state to test their preparedness to handle potential Ebola cases within the next week.
Malloy also announced on Thursday that he has established a command team to act as a central authority to deal with any Ebola cases in the state. The team is led by Public Health Commissioner Dr. Jewell Mullen and includes officials from state agencies for public safety, education, prison and environmental protection.
The moves come a week after the governor gave Mullen the authority to quarantine anyone who may have been exposed to Ebola.
Mullen used that authority for the first time Thursday for a patient at Yale-New Haven Hospital who has been isolated while doctors await Ebola test results, which are expected by Friday.
