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Officials at Kaiser Hospital announced on Saturday that 43 emergency personnel at Kaiser Permanente in San Jose tested positive for COVID-19 between December 27 and January 1.
The hospital is investigating whether an incident in which a staff member briefly appeared in the emergency department on Christmas Day wearing a pneumatic suit with a ventilator could have resulted in the spread of air droplets throughout the hospital.
“Using our proven infection protocols, we are investigating the outbreak and using contact tracing to personally notify and test any staff or patients who have been exposed during this time based on CDC and public health guidelines. A spokesperson said in a statement.
The hospital said it would no longer allow air-powered suits at any facility.
Kaiser said the employee wearing the suit was not showing symptoms at the time and was only trying to cheer up during a stressful time. But an emergency room worker who asked not to be identified said there could be another reason for the outbreak.
“They were doing respiratory treatments in a room that they weren’t supposed to be doing,” the employee said.
The hospital said the emergency department was undergoing a thorough cleaning and officials said the hospital was open and safe for patients to receive care.
But the employee said Kaiser’s claim that they were doing a deep cleanup of the department after the outbreak was false.
“It’s a lie,” the employee said. “All they did was come in and do a deep clean in the little break room. They didn’t do the other parts of the emergency department and there wasn’t a thorough cleaning. “
The hospital is working to quickly test all emergency department workers and doctors for the virus, and anyone who tests positive or shows symptoms will be quarantined according to guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control, hospital officials said.
“Even as the vaccine begins to be provided in our communities, given the prevalence of COVID-19 in the community, we are all still vulnerable and it remains essential for everyone to continue using the methods to protect ourselves and the people. others – especially masks, washing hands, avoiding gatherings and social distancing, ”the statement read.
Kaiser said some of the infected healthcare workers received their first dose of the COVID vaccine, but they should not have achieved immunity when the exposure occurred.
However, several healthcare workers told NBC Bay Area that they didn’t think the hospital was doing enough to protect them.
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