The New York Times this morning reports that people returning to office buildings in coming weeks may have more to worry about than contracting the coronavirus from fellow employees.
According to the story, "Office buildings once filled with employees emptied out in many cities and states as shelter-in-place orders were issued. These structures, normally in constant use, have been closed off and shut down, and health risks might be accumulating in unseen ways."
Like Legionnairesâ disease.
Here's how the Times sketches out the potential problemâ¦
"'The buildings arenât designed to be left alone for months,' said Andrew Whelton, an associate professor of civil, environmental and ecological engineering at Purdue University.
"Dr. Whelton, other researchers and public health authorities have issued warnings about the plumbing in these buildings, where water may have gone stagnant in the pipes or even in individual taps and toilets. As lockdowns are lifted, bacteria that build up internally may cause health problems for returning workers if the problem is not properly addressed by facilities managers. Employees and guests at hotels, gyms and other kinds of buildings may also be at risk.
"The biggest worry is Legionella pneumophila. The bacteria can cause Legionnairesâ disease, a respiratory condition. It leads to death in about one in 10 cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine estimates that over 52,000 Americans suffer from the disease each year."
You can either do a proper review of direct causes and root causes or you can try to assign blame. The first option is the only one that will be successful at preparing for the next time.
Is there an expectation that this administration will leave behind a lessons learned playbook to the next administration?
So I finally got an opportunity to discuss the plan of having IV pumps outside of a room for the purpose of conserving PPE with one of my regular nurses at my onc's shop today. Hadn't forgot about this. The problem was staff was rotating differently, the moods on different visits and also needing someone to whom I could ask this question of without any issues like why are you asking in the first place ? I know who I can ask what there and when.
So the answer I got was that this was already being done in the Clinic's ICU's in special rooms dealing with highly infectious things like CV 19. The rooms are made with glass walls, designed to accommodate the short hose runs for something like this to work. The glass walls help facilitate this with the high visibility they offer that is needed for this to be done safely. These are not new rooms built for the CV 19 occasion.
It would be impractical and unsafe to try and retrofit a standard patient room for this purpose for the reasons I stated back when, which I assume was Emmanuel's idea since this was already a somewhat standard practice in highly volatile ICU conditions. Good idea, but an impracticable one size fits all solution on its face. My initial assessment was basically correct.
A new practice that is being followed is a buddy system for the nurses where two go in instead of one to watch each other to make sure that things are not done wrong, things overlooked and to prevent transmission upon exiting the room(s). My nurse says that it is working very well. Haven't heard of much excitement about anything going wrong at the Clinic and things are not overwhelming here overall, so far. Our gov did scare us all with a 100 k cases and 10 k death toll estimate when this began. Testing is not so hot 3000 per 100 k ? Been tested once, pretty sure I can again with little difficulty if needed.
Franklin is where Columbus, our capital is located. Cuyahoga is the next county over from the one I live in, Portage (Kent State) and is where Cleveland is located.
Cuyahoga County's 2019 population was 1.235 million. So not small. Franklin 1.3 million. Portage 162 k, much smaller. Summit, 540 k and adjacent to Cuy and Por counties and where Akron is. Hamilton, 817 k and where Cinci is. Lucas, 428 k where Toledo is and adjacent basically to Detroit. These counties 5.5 million.Ohio is 11.7 million total.
Glad I am not in Lucas county where things seem to be the worst with its smaller population. Cleveland Clinic, Case Western Reserve University Hospital in Cuyahoga. Ohio State in Franklin. All great hospitals.
So we are not running around with our hair of fire here, unlike when the wife of a mayor did set her hair on fire, accidentally of course.
That was interesting. You had good points about the problems of extending IV lines. I hope I never have to learn as much about IV lines as you have, or at least for the reasons you've had to.
Thanks for asking the nurses and reporting back. If you get in touch with a nurse or nurses, please tell them that we're rooting for them.
I haven't followed the infection and death rates at all. There seems to be a lot of confusion about definitions, accuracy of assessments, early mis-definitions of cause of deaths, etc.
So I finally got an opportunity to discuss the plan of having IV pumps outside of a room for the purpose of conserving PPE with one of my regular nurses at my onc's shop today. Hadn't forgot about this. The problem was staff was rotating differently, the moods on different visits and also needing someone to whom I could ask this question of without any issues like why are you asking in the first place ? I know who I can ask what there and when.
So the answer I got was that this was already being done in the Clinic's ICU's in special rooms dealing with highly infectious things like CV 19. The rooms are made with glass walls, designed to accommodate the short hose runs for something like this to work. The glass walls help facilitate this with the high visibility they offer that is needed for this to be done safely. These are not new rooms built for the CV 19 occasion.
It would be impractical and unsafe to try and retrofit a standard patient room for this purpose for the reasons I stated back when, which I assume was Emmanuel's idea since this was already a somewhat standard practice in highly volatile ICU conditions. Good idea, but an impracticable one size fits all solution on its face. My initial assessment was basically correct.
A new practice that is being followed is a buddy system for the nurses where two go in instead of one to watch each other to make sure that things are not done wrong, things overlooked and to prevent transmission upon exiting the room(s). My nurse says that it is working very well. Haven't heard of much excitement about anything going wrong at the Clinic and things are not overwhelming here overall, so far. Our gov did scare us all with a 100 k cases and 10 k death toll estimate when this began. Testing is not so hot 3000 per 100 k ? Been tested once, pretty sure I can again with little difficulty if needed.
Franklin is where Columbus, our capital is located. Cuyahoga is the next county over from the one I live in, Portage (Kent State) and is where Cleveland is located.
Cuyahoga County's 2019 population was 1.235 million. So not small. Franklin 1.3 million. Portage 162 k, much smaller. Summit, 540 k and adjacent to Cuy and Por counties and where Akron is. Hamilton, 817 k and where Cinci is. Lucas, 428 k where Toledo is and adjacent basically to Detroit. These counties 5.5 million.Ohio is 11.7 million total.
Glad I am not in Lucas county where things seem to be the worst with its smaller population. Cleveland Clinic, Case Western Reserve University Hospital in Cuyahoga. Ohio State in Franklin. All great hospitals.
So we are not running around with our hair of fire here, unlike when the wife of a mayor did set her hair on fire, accidentally of course.
What's so painful is the timing. The ONLY reason to address changes with the WHO currently is to find a political scapegoat.
Once this is over...then we should assess and address.
This is like threatening a kidnapper....while he's holding a knife to your child.
He might as well hold up a sign that says " I don't care about you....I just want your vote". In the process....he's losing both.
Stable genius....he just can't get out of his own way.
You can either do a proper review of direct causes and root causes or you can try to assign blame. The first option is the only one that will be successful at preparing for the next time.
Cuppa Lemon, honey, tumeric, ginger, garlic, apple cider vinegar steeped in hot water every morning right after you wake. That is all.You will develop super powers.
Aren't you supposed to have a Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pie with that?
That’s only if you’ve given up and long for sweet sweet death.
Cuppa Lemon, honey, tumeric, ginger, garlic, apple cider vinegar steeped in hot water every morning right after you wake. That is all.You will develop super powers.
Aren't you supposed to have a Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pie with that?
Thatâs only if youâve given up and long for sweet sweet death.
Cuppa Lemon, honey, tumeric, ginger, garlic, apple cider vinegar steeped in hot water every morning right after you wake. That is all.You will develop super powers.
Aren't you supposed to have a Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pie with that?
A Texas church canceled Mass services just days after reopening after a priest died and several members of his religious order tested positive for the coronavirus.
Cuppa Lemon, honey, tumeric, ginger, garlic, apple cider vinegar steeped in hot water every morning right after you wake. That is all.You will develop super powers.
