Coronavirus Isolation Precautions

[Old EMT]

So I'm just curious.  How does everyone view all the isolation precautions?  Are they too strict?  Are they not strict enough?  Should they be mandatory or voluntary?  As for the PPE recommendations, are they enough or too lenient?  

[Just Plain Ruff]

our agency has put out a "every respiratory patient has covid until proven otherwise so we better see you wearing your PPE's"  

I had a exposure last monday, got a fever thursday and was sent home for 2 weeks of quarantine.  got called yesterday and asked if I had any symptoms after 3 days of being home, said no.  was told if still no symptoms after 7 days they will put me back on the schedule this friday so I get to go back to work.  This is based on CDC guidelines for exposure and return to work but when I return to work I get to wear a mask for the remainder of the 2 weeks of my quarantine time which they are determining if it's based on date of exposure or date of symptom presentation.  That's where the disconnect is.  I work 24 hour shifts so I will only have to wear the mask for a maximum of 3 shifts but maybe only 2.  

I was not tested on the day I had symptoms because they said I was "LOW" risk.    

I got a week off for having a fever for 8 hours.  not sure if that's overkill or if it's doing the right thing.  I'd rather be working.  but I'd rather do the right thing than not and infect other people.  

thank god for Doordash food delivery and a great friend at work who delivered some food staples (milk, bread, diet pepsi and trash bags to us yesterday).  

[rock_shoes]

All evidence continues to support taking full droplet precautions with suspected COVID patients. This one's the real deal. The numbers out of Italy tell the story as to what will happen if we don't take this seriously soon enough. My service switched our sick leave (75% pay) to general leave with pay (100% pay) to discourage employees from potentially infecting colleagues. 

[Just Plain Ruff]

When I went out due to developing a fever and was told to stay home for 14 days which was shortened to 7 days due to not having further symptoms, I was told that I could either use PHO's or not get paid.  How's that for fun times.  

[emt2359]

Makes me wonder if this will drive some providers out of the field once this is all said and done.

[Just Plain Ruff]

On 3/29/2020 at 9:26 AM, emt2359 said:

Makes me wonder if this will drive some providers out of the field once this is all said and done.

Well I hate to sound like an old crotchety medic but every one of us knows what we signed up for.  We are exposed to all sorts of pathogens, we take precautions, and if you don't then it's not on your service, it's on you.  
These days you have to protect yourself because no-one else is going to do so.  Go in on every call with the mindset that they have COVID, Sepsis, EBOLA and every other communicable disease and protect yourself.  

You have to protect yourself first.  If you are not protected, then DO NOT GO IN TO the scene.  You would not go in a fire scene if you didn't have bunker gear on right?  You would not go in a TB patients room without an N95 mask on right?  

Today, it's on you to protect yourself because in the END, you have to go home to your family and no one is going to provide for your family other than you.  

Edited March 30, 2020 by Just Plain Ruff

[rock_shoes]

On 3/28/2020 at 3:37 PM, Just Plain Ruff said:

When I went out due to developing a fever and was told to stay home for 14 days which was shortened to 7 days due to not having further symptoms, I was told that I could either use PHO's or not get paid.  How's that for fun times.  

PHO? I'm guessing that's what your service calls banked time?

 

[Just Plain Ruff]

On 4/1/2020 at 1:13 PM, rock_shoes said:

PHO? I'm guessing that's what your service calls banked time?

 

Yes, time off, vacation, sick time, holidays  all banked in one bucket.