The Place for Jersey City News
Log In / Register
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
Jersey City Times
  • News
  • Diversions
    • Performing Arts
    • Visual Arts
    • Other Fun Stuff
  • In Our Midst
  • Food And Drink
  • Education
  • Neighborhoods
    • Downtown
      • News
      • Guide
    • Heights
      • News
      • Guide
    • Journal Square
      • News
      • Guide
    • Bergen Lafayette
      • News
      • Guide
    • Greenville
      • News
      • Guide
    • Westside
      • News
      • Guide
  • Opinion
  • Columns
    • Eye Level
    • Mamarama
  • Event Calendar
  • Support our Mission
  • Search
  • Menu Menu

Posts

Jersey City Hospitals Adopt New Triage Protocols for Pandemic

April 1, 2020/in header, Latest News, News /by Ron Leir

Jersey City Medical Center has created a new protocol and an expanded locale for its emergency department in response to the coronavirus pandemic sweeping the city and the country. Earlier this month, Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop joined Christ Hospital administrators in announcing a new screening system designed to safeguard health care staff and patients during the crisis as well.

Both hospitals have set up pre-screening tents outdoors, outside their emergency departments, a sign of just how busy the institutions have become. That is where the protocols at the two facilities diverge slightly. At the medical center, individuals who present with severe symptoms of COVID-19 “will be transported directly to the ED (emergency department) for a more comprehensive evaluation, care, and isolation.  Others will be directed to a mobile satellite emergency department on site,” said Michael Loftus, MD, chief medical officer, Jersey City Medical Center- RWJBarnabas Health.

“For non-COVID-19 related urgent or emergent care, patients will be directed or shuttled to a new urgent care directly across from the hospital at Colony Plaza, 414 Grand Street,” Loftus continued. “This is not a COVID-19 testing site but will care for non-COVID emergent and urgent patients during the ongoing pandemic,” he explained.

Christ Hospital is also separating those with non-coronavirus-related emergencies from those with symptoms of COVID-19, such as fever, cough or flu-like symptoms — or any combination of thereof. But it is sending the former to its existing emergency room for appropriate treatment whereas persons who present with at least one COVID-19 symptom are themselves bifurcated: Those who hospital staff determine can safely recover at home are treated and released; those determined to need admitting are directed to beds dedicated to Covid-19 patients that are spread among three floors of the hospital, according to Dr. Tucker Woods, Christ Hospital’s chief medical officer.

Triage at Christ Hospital, photo courtesy Dr. Tucker Woods

As of last week, Christ Hospital was caring for 50 persons diagnosed as coronavirus patients, according to Woods. All are elderly, and the majority are male.

Since the hospital began admitting coronavirus patients, there have been “expirations,” Woods went on to say — though he declined to say how many. Equally vague was Woods regarding the number of infections amongst the hospital’s staff. While Woods did note that, in epidemics, it’s not unusual for personnel infection rates to approach 35 percent, in discussing Christ Hospital’s own employees having the coronavirus, the chief medical officer said simply “Not so many here.”

Woods said the hospital’s health care staff is doing the best it can to cope with limited amounts of personal protective equipment.

“We don’t have enough sanitizing wipes for disinfecting mattresses, so we’re using bleach, which is not ideal” he said. As of last week, other items needing replenishment were hospital gloves, swabs used to check for the virus and ventilators, he said.

Woods credited New Jersey Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli, R.N., with quickly arranging for a March 24 delivery of five ventilators that were urgently needed. Prior to their delivery, the facility was using 14 of its 16 units (and prior to that, before coronoavirus’s becoming a household word, Christ maintained three to six ventilators at any one point in time, according to Woods).

What’s to come?

“In early March the (ER) numbers were off the charts,” Woods said. “We were 40 percent busier than usual. Many of the admissions were for flu-like symptoms, but after the news of the pandemic hit, the numbers took a nosedive down,” he said.

Still, Woods remains cautious. “I think it hasn’t peaked yet,” he said. “I think it will get worse and eventually plateau. We’re doing the best we can to contain it.”

Woods credited the hospital’s housekeepers and health care professionals on the front line with bearing the load. He also thanked the community at large for their donations of medical supplies and food for staff.

Triage at Christ Hospital, photo courtesy Dr. Tucker Woods

Header: Nurse takes temperature of visitor at Christ Hospital, photo by Jennifer Brown/City of Jersey City 

News Briefs

Hudson County Community College has been named the recipient of a one-year, $850,000 investment from the JPMorgan Chase. The investment will be utilized for a program the College developed to address the challenges of the economic crisis in Hudson County that were brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. The program is designed to provide lasting improvement in the County’s workforce ecosystem.

Mayor Steven Fulop and the Jersey City Economic Development Corporation (JCEDC) have launched the latest round of emergency funding to provide over $2.5 million in direct aid and support to Jersey City’s neediest residents, regardless of immigration status. The city will partner with  York Street, Women Rising, United Way, and Puertorriqueños Asociados for Community Organization. 

Mayor Steven Fulop is joining forces with Uber to announce a new agreement that will expand residents’ access to COVID-19 vaccinations with free Uber rides to and from Jersey City vaccination sites. Phase 1B includes essential frontline workers and seniors 75 years old and over.

The federal Paycheck Protection Program, which offers businesses loans that can be forgivable, reopened on January 11th. The revised program focuses first on underserved borrowers – minority- and women-owned businesses.

Keep abreast of Jersey City Covid-19 statistics here.

Governor Murphy has launched a “Covid Transparency Website” where New Jerseyans can track state expenditures related to Covid.  Go here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Upcoming Events

Sun 24

Curators Choice 2020 Virtual Exhibition

October 1, 2020 - February 1, 2021
Tue 26

January LSP History Programs: History of the CRRNJ Terminal

January 26 @ 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm
Jersey City NJ
United States
Wed 27

Jersey City Municipal Council Meeting

January 27 @ 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Jersey City NJ
United States
Wed 27

Climate Change and Sustainability Youth Forum

January 27 @ 6:45 pm
Thu 28

Women on Wheels: How Women Found Freedom through Bicycling – Thursday, Jan. 28 at 4pm EST

January 28 @ 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Jersey City NJ

View More…

CONTACT US

    ADS/INFO

    For information on advertising opportunities, please contact - ads@jcitytimes.com

    For information on writing opportunities, please contact - info@jcitytimes.com

    Download our media kit here

    ABOUT US

    About Jersey City Times

    Contact Jersey City Times

    Social

    Archive

    • January 2021
    • December 2020
    • November 2020
    • October 2020
    • September 2020
    • August 2020
    • July 2020
    • June 2020
    • May 2020
    • April 2020
    • March 2020
    • February 2020
    • January 2020
    • December 2019
    • November 2019
    • October 2019
    Copyright © 2020 JCityTimes.com. All Rights Reserved - powered by Enfold WordPress Theme
    Scroll to top
    Subscribe to Our Newsletter

    Support Jersey City Times WITH A MONTHLY CONTRIBUTION

    for the price of a tall coffee at Starbucks!