Staff at a NY hospital dump protective gear in outdoor trash can after handling bodies

[webfact]

Staff at a NY hospital dump protective gear in outdoor trash can after handling bodies

By Brendan McDermid

 

A healthcare worker removes and discards personal protective equipment (PPE) into a trash can after wheeling the bodies of deceased people outside the Wyckoff Heights Medical Center during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, New York, U.S., April 2, 2020. REUTERS/Brendan Mcdermid TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

 

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Staff at Wyckoff Heights Medical Center in New York City were seen disposing of their gowns and caps and other protective wear in a sidewalk trash can on Thursday after wheeling bodies out of the hospital and loading them into a refrigerated truck.

 

Hospital workers typically wear protective gear while caring for patients suffering from COVID-19, the sometimes deadly respiratory disease caused by the highly infectious new virus. Reuters was unable to confirm whether the bodies were those of coronavirus victims.

 

The hospital is in Brooklyn. The outbreak has killed nearly 1,400 New York City residents.

 

Hospital administrators could not be reached for comment after multiple emails and calls to the public affairs office and main phone line. Operator Beatrice Pereira said, "They said there's no one available right now, that everyone here is busy saving lives."

 

A Reuters photographer saw four workers in protective gowns, caps, face masks and goggles rolling hospital beds out of the building carrying deceased patients covered with white sheets.

 

After placing the bodies inside a refrigerated truck, they removed their gowns and other protective gear and put them into a nearby outdoor trash can then wheeled the beds back inside.

 

If the staff had been handling a coronavirus victim, they should have disposed of their protective equipment in specific bins for hazardous waste, Jack Caravanos, a professor at the New York University School of Global Public Health, said in a phone interview.

 

"It's a very serious breach of infectious protocols. This stuff is supposed to be treated as infectious material and disposed of in infectious waste containers," Caravanos said.

 

According to World Health Organization guidance for treating coronavirus patients, personal protective equipment should be "discarded in an appropriate waste container after use."

 

A homeless person had been going through the trash can an hour earlier, the Reuters photographer said. Reuters could not determine what was in the trash can at the time.

 

A spokesman for New York City's health department said he was not able to comment on what Reuters saw, but said each hospital should have procedures in place for the use and disposal of protective gear. The New York State Department of Health did not respond to requests for comment.

 

Faced with a dire shortage of protective gear, federal and local health officials are advising healthcare workers to reuse and clean disposable masks and gloves when possible, rather than throwing them away after each patient.

 

(Reporting by Brendan McDermid; Additional reporting by Gabriella Borter and Jonathan Allen; Editing by Ross Colvin, Howard Goller and Daniel Wallis)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-04-03

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[Chomper Higgot]

Shock horror, medical workers do not re-enter hospital wearing likely infected outer PPE.

 

Until anyone confirms the staff are not following instructions on where to dispose of their PPE before re-entering the hospital this is a non story.

 

 

Edited April 2, 2020 by Chomper Higgot

[Puchaiyank]

Maybe those so concerned about healthcare workers garbage disposal would like to become a hospital  volunteer for a few sleepless and thankless days...

[ezzra]

And then we are all wondering how the dreaded virus is spreading so fast... people carelessness and stupidity is a big part of this virus killing people so fast...

[Crazy Alex]

38 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Shock horror, medical workers do not re-enter hospital wearing likely infected outer PPE.

 

Until anyone confirms the staff are not following instructions on where to dispose of their PPE before re-entering the hospital this is a non story.

 

 

According to OSHA, PPE is to thrown away in designated containers for disposal or disinfection later.

 

https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/hospital/hazards/ppe/ppe.html

 

So obviously, health care workers simply throwing away used PPE items in basic trash containers is an obvious violation of protocol. And I know how serious you are about standards for.... well, it seems your standards don't get applied very evenly at all. Hmmm. Carry on.

[RJRS1301]

It is outdoors, surely they are disposing of the gear as directed and then the bin is emptied, where is the bin located, probably in a relatively secure area.

Think there may be vital information missing for the sake of scandal here, not sure but seems strange

It is scandalous expecting workers to disinfect PPE and reuse.

 

The NJ doctor who has died, appealed to friends to source PPE for him, ashe had to resue gear.

 

[tifino]

8 minutes ago, RJRS1301 said:

It is outdoors, surely they are disposing of the gear as directed and then the bin is emptied, where is the bin located, probably in a relatively secure area.

Think there may be vital information missing for the sake of scandal here, not sure but seems strange

It is scandalous expecting workers to disinfect PPE and reuse.

 

The NJ doctor who has died, appealed to friends to source PPE for him, ashe had to resue gear.

 

but if it was relatively secure area? - why did the Reuters photographer have the potential opportunity, to capture an image of a Homeless dude, that he saw, fishing thru that very same bin??

[Gweiloman]

Never thought I would say this but it seems that Trump is right. The PPE’s, masks etc are going out via the back door lol

[RJRS1301]

52 minutes ago, tifino said:

but if it was relatively secure area? - why did the Reuters photographer have the potential opportunity, to capture an image of a Homeless dude, that he saw, fishing thru that very same bin??

 

 

 

i did posit 'relatively" secure, people do get into all sorts of areas.

'

[30la]

Well, ultra-powerful Americans are also not foolproof ...

[Bluespunk]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

A homeless person had been going through the trash can an hour earlier, the Reuters photographer said. Reuters could not determine what was in the trash can at the time.

Possibly trash?

[Tropposurfer]

Perhaps they used one of those fangled telephoto thingamijigs

[Chomper Higgot]

5 hours ago, Crazy Alex said:

According to OSHA, PPE is to thrown away in designated containers for disposal or disinfection later.

 

https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/hospital/hazards/ppe/ppe.html

 

So obviously, health care workers simply throwing away used PPE items in basic trash containers is an obvious violation of protocol. And I know how serious you are about standards for.... well, it seems your standards don't get applied very evenly at all. Hmmm. Carry on.

Where is the evidence that the designated disposal point is not the trash container in the photo?

[natway09]

God Bless America

[Pedrogaz]

Are they supposed to go home in them? Perhaps on public transport?

[ChouDoufu]

8 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Shock horror, medical workers do not re-enter hospital wearing likely infected outer PPE.

 

Until anyone confirms the staff are not following instructions on where to dispose of their PPE before re-entering the hospital this is a non story.

 

 

sure, i can try to confirm that.

 

the hospital beds upon which (alleged) diseased bodies were transported are contaminated.  you don't remove your ppe until your outsideness has been decontaminated and/or you're in a secure area. 

 

and of course, contaminated ppe are to be disposed of in an appropriately labeled and secure container, not dumped in an open outside garbage receptacle accessible by vagrants.

 

people make mistakes.  not everyone employed in healthcare is perfekt.

[Gramps]

There could possibly be a story in this, if any journalist could be bothered to investigate it.

[sawadee1947]

......better than to take it home.... ????

[NanLaew]

8 hours ago, RJRS1301 said:

9 hours ago, tifino said:

but if it was relatively secure area? - why did the Reuters photographer have the potential opportunity, to capture an image of a Homeless dude, that he saw, fishing thru that very same bin??

 

 

 

i did posit 'relatively" secure, people do get into all sorts of areas.

Including the area of hazardous medical waste disposal, which they know nothing about, on internet forums.

[NanLaew]

2 hours ago, Gramps said:

There could possibly be a story in this, if any journalist could be bothered to investigate it.

Yes, like inadequately trained health workers or poor supervision thereof.

[Crazy Alex]

15 hours ago, RJRS1301 said:

It is outdoors, surely they are disposing of the gear as directed and then the bin is emptied, where is the bin located, probably in a relatively secure area.

Think there may be vital information missing for the sake of scandal here, not sure but seems strange

It is scandalous expecting workers to disinfect PPE and reuse.

 

The NJ doctor who has died, appealed to friends to source PPE for him, ashe had to resue gear.

 

FALSE. There are very specific instructions for disposing of PPE in a hospital setting. Ask any health care professional. It being outdoors is completely and totally irrelevant.

[atyclb]

9 hours ago, Gramps said:

There could possibly be a story in this, if any journalist could be bothered to investigate it.

 

 

i worked in nyc hospitals for many years and imo likely just an apathetic unionized employee non healthcare professional; eg. patient transport

[RJRS1301]

7 hours ago, Crazy Alex said:

FALSE. There are very specific instructions for disposing of PPE in a hospital setting. Ask any health care professional. It being outdoors is completely and totally irrelevant.

 

7 hours ago, Crazy Alex said:

FALSE. There are very specific instructions for disposing of PPE in a hospital setting. Ask any health care professional. It being outdoors is completely and totally irrelevant.

So I am assuming you have a copy of those specific policies for that particular facility and can post them for use and you are fully acquainted with the location of the bin, and any restrictive security measures surrounding the area 
This is an emergency situation .  

Rushing to judgment is unwise in any situation  especially With only one photograph as your evidence.
Except for you when POTUS says “it’s only the flu”

 

The body would have been bagged, less transmission possibility, Interesting thing once a virus kills its host it becomes less viable.

 

Having worked in health I am relatively acquainted with infection control protocols. 

 

 

 

[Crazy Alex]

21 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Where is the evidence that the designated disposal point is not the trash container in the photo?

You have it reversed. There should be evidence the designated point is in fact the trash container in the photo. You know, like a sign saying so. Do you have such evidence?

[ThaiTJ]

Watch this and make your on informed opinion if this is all a big lie.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pIMD1enwd4&fbclid=IwAR0VS-fvKuTiWL0FweUG3CYaNK6OX1IWh1av1ydruzuxXbUaBUv63ydLzvs&app=desktop

 

 

[atyclb]

On 4/4/2020 at 5:05 AM, RJRS1301 said:

On 4/3/2020 at 9:27 PM, Crazy Alex said:

FALSE. There are very specific instructions for disposing of PPE in a hospital setting. Ask any health care professional. It being outdoors is completely and totally irrelevant.

 

On 4/3/2020 at 9:27 PM, Crazy Alex said:

FALSE. There are very specific instructions for disposing of PPE in a hospital setting. Ask any health care professional. It being outdoors is completely and totally irrelevant.

So I am assuming you have a copy of those specific policies for that particular facility and can post them for use and you are fully acquainted with the location of the bin, and any restrictive security measures surrounding the area 
This is an emergency situation .  

Rushing to judgment is unwise in any situation  especially With only one photograph as your evidence.
Except for you when POTUS says “it’s only the flu”

 

The body would have been bagged, less transmission possibility, Interesting thing once a virus kills its host it becomes less viable.

 

Having worked in health I am relatively acquainted with infection control protocols. 

 

disclaimer;  this is an apolitical post

 

therefore you know it is important to mark or label the waste bin designated as such. in the case labels ran out the facility would improvise a label and typically stuck directly on the bin itself.   attached pic to illustrate what i mean.

[atyclb]

23 hours ago, ThaiTJ said:

Watch this and make your on informed opinion if this is all a big lie.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pIMD1enwd4&fbclid=IwAR0VS-fvKuTiWL0FweUG3CYaNK6OX1IWh1av1ydruzuxXbUaBUv63ydLzvs&app=desktop

 

 

 

i saw that and other similar videos. usually the way it works at hospitals, namely emergency departments is to get swamped for x amt of hours or possible days then things cool down because internally patients are discharged to make more beds for ER patients and or transferred to other hospitals that have available beds.  getting swamped comes in waves and is normally not indefinite.  a good example is a typical new years eve. if you see the er around midnight it looks like all hell broke loose. if you see it a few hours later it might be nearly empty.

 

i know elmhurst hospital and normally you'd never see the er waiting area empty like in that video in the best of times without corona virus. one possibility is fear of corona patients keeps the usual nonsense not needing an er patients away.

Edited April 5, 2020 by atyclb

[RJRS1301]

34 minutes ago, atyclb said:

 

disclaimer;  this is an apolitical post

 

therefore you know it is important to mark or label the waste bin designated as such. in the case labels ran out the facility would improvise a label and typically stuck directly on the bin itself.   attached pic to illustrate what i mean.

Granted there should have been a sign, we only see one part of the bin in the pic. we see the worker looking like removing the gear, but we do not him disposing of it into the bin, so still lacking complete evidence.' 

[atyclb]

20 hours ago, RJRS1301 said:

20 hours ago, atyclb said:

 

disclaimer;  this is an apolitical post

 

therefore you know it is important to mark or label the waste bin designated as such. in the case labels ran out the facility would improvise a label and typically stuck directly on the bin itself.   attached pic to illustrate what i mean.

Granted there should have been a sign, we only see one part of the bin in the pic. we see the worker looking like removing the gear, but we do not him disposing of it into the bin, so still lacking complete evidence.' 

 

quote from story. "NEW YORK (Reuters) - Staff at Wyckoff Heights Medical Center in New York City were seen disposing of their gowns and caps and other protective wear in a sidewalk trash can on Thursday after wheeling bodies out of the hospital and loading them into a refrigerated truck."

 

if you believe the story it seems the ppe was put into the unmarked bin.  from what i can see there are no markings on the bin unless on the lower 1/4 not seen in photo and there are markings on walls in photo either.

 

if you can come up with a photo that shows this bin/area is somehow marked, it will add teeth to your argument/point.

[Crazy Alex]

On 4/3/2020 at 5:05 PM, RJRS1301 said:

 

So I am assuming you have a copy of those specific policies for that particular facility and can post them for use and you are fully acquainted with the location of the bin, and any restrictive security measures surrounding the area 
This is an emergency situation .  

Rushing to judgment is unwise in any situation  especially With only one photograph as your evidence.
Except for you when POTUS says “it’s only the flu”

 

The body would have been bagged, less transmission possibility, Interesting thing once a virus kills its host it becomes less viable.

 

Having worked in health I am relatively acquainted with infection control protocols. 

 

 

 

I'm going by OSHA standards. Here in the US, we have standards on how infectious waste is handled. So you see, I don't need that specific hospital's policies. The policy on this comes from above. So if you've worked in health care (in the US, where we have specific federal standards), then you noticed the trash can being used was not labeled for use to dispose of infectious waste. Since you've worked in health care, you already know this. Thus, what exactly is your complaint?