Infections spike among workers at S.F. General
45 test positive, raising worries about workplace
Coronavirus infections among health care workers at San Francisco General Hospital are increasing at a rapid rate, raising concerns about workplace conditions and testing procedures.
Hospital administrators are reacting by stepping up safety protocols.
Between June 27 and July 6, COVID19 infections among employees at the facility rose by 50% to reach a total of 45, according to a staff memo sent Monday on behalf of Chief Executive Officer Dr. Susan Ehrlich. The document went on to say the recent rise is due to the overall spread of coronavirus in the region.
“This is not surprising given the increasing number of COVID19 diagnoses happening throughout Bay Area communities in recent weeks,” the memo read. “Based on information to date, we suspect the large majority of recent cases we are discovering at work may have been
acquired in the community. While we are not surprised in the surge, we do want to ensure that everyone is taking every precaution to stay safe and healthy.”
The increase comes as San Francisco coronavirus cases spiked to about 53 new infections a day now, triggering a high alert. Hospitalizations have also been on the rise, with a 20% increase this past week.
San Francisco General Hospital opened up a new break room space in the unused cafeteria Wednesday to give staff more space to social distance. New safety guidelines include providing supplies to clean the space before and after use, allowing only two people per table, and prohibiting staff from moving furniture and partitions, said a hospital spokeswoman. The memo also urged employees to be vigilant outside of work and avoid social gatherings.
Some nurses at the hospital said the rise in infections, while representing a similar community spike, was also the result of an environment where it’s hard to social distance and not all workers are tested. Nurses estimated dozens of people come through the small break room that has lockers, showers and a table for eating — which can’t be done while wearing a mask.
Emergency room nurse Christa Duran said that after a staffer tested positive for the virus in March, she started eating in a large garden. She said she won’t be using the new break room because she still doesn’t feel comfortable.
“You should be alarmed if nurses are speaking up if they don’t feel safe,” she said.
The memo sent this week about increased staff infections also confirmed that the hospital is not testing all employees. Essential workers are eligible for free testing, regardless of symptoms, using city test sites or through their primary care provider or health insurer, the memo read.
But nurses said it can be hard to get readily tested through their doctors and wished the hospital would provide rapid testing to workers who could be asyptomatic carriers spreading the virus to others.
“They’re not thinking ahead. They’re thinking after the fact that things happen,” said Shamideh Engel, nurse on the psychiatric emergency services unit. “San Francisco has done a pretty damn good job of maintaining that safety net compared to the rest of the state, but we can do even better.”