City, county, area hospitals prepare for virus,
The Pittsburgh Public Safety Department said Thursday it is getting out in front of any possible local coronavirus outbreak, preparing first responders, local hospitals and safety officials.
The closest reported confirmed case is in Boston as of Thursday, according to the department.
“This is about being prepared,” said department Director Wendell Hissrich. “We prepare for any and all types of threats, whether it be flooding concerns, large snowfalls, extreme heat, large gatherings in the city or presidential and dignitary visits. We always prepare, and we’ll be prepared for this as well.”
Mr. Hissrich began holding meetings at least weekly to address coronavirus concerns in early January, involving various public safety officials and key stakeholders.
The city has trained first responders in how to identify coronavirus cases, how to provide medical care to patients and how to isolate those infected, if necessary. First responders also have been provided with “enhanced personal protection kits” containing face masks, gloves, hand sanitizer and protective eyewear for use should they encounter someone with the virus.
Dr. Thomas Campbell, chair of Allegheny Health Network’s Department of Emergency Medicine, said city officials have worked with the network’s hospitals in “prehospital care work,” including training paramedics and emergency medical services personnel in how to protect themselves and how to coordinate communication, notifying hospitals and the Allegheny County Health Department should they believe they’ve identified a patient with coronavirus.
The city is also inspecting all EMS vehicles, including ambulances, to ensure they are fully operational, public safety officials said.
The city’s Public Safety
Department also has updated the city’s 2014 pandemic operational plan. As part of the pandemic plan updates, a contingency plan ensures additional EMS personnel and units can be brought into the city as necessary.
Pittsburgh public safety officials also are working with Allegheny County and suburban public safety officials to coordinate “preparedness and response plans,” said the Public Safety Department.
Dr. Campbell said county health care could be “overwhelmed” should the outbreak be widespread, but that “on the bright side,” hospitals and government have “a lot of time” to prepare, including working to conserve materials in hospitals now and put communication methods in place for the worst-case scenario.
The Pittsburgh Public Safety Department changes come in tandem with preparations by Gov. Tom Wolf and the Pennsylvania Department of Health, including activating the state
Department of Heath’s enhanced response coordination, monitoring symptoms of those who have recently traveled to China, educating business and schools and updating the flu plan for coronavirus.
The Allegheny County Health Department has been helping health care providers by keeping them up to date on the outbreak and administering “tabletop drills,” which walk providers through scenarios such as a patient infected with the virus coming into a doctor’s office, Dr. Campbell said.
He said the county also helps test those who might have the virus, something hospitals don’t have the capacity to do by themselves.
Also, Allegheny County has offered to provide hospitals assistance getting medical equipment should the need arise, Dr. Campbell said, although he said the government has not yet provided hospitals with financial aid.