Western Pa. health systems provide masks to staff to combat covid-19 spread

Health care systems in Western Pennsylvania are working to equip all employees in clinical areas of its hospitals with protective masks.

UPMC said it is also providing masks to staff and visitors to hospitals after they pass a screening test. Westmoreland County-based Excela Health, which has hospitals Greensburg, Latrobe and Mt. Pleasant, said the system will implement a mask-distribution program for employees beginning Monday, spokesman Mike Morlacci said.

“The hospital system is presently working out the details and logistics of that initiative and is in the process of informing employees,” he said.

AHN plans to begin distributing masks to employees on Saturday, said Dr. Tom Walsh, an infectious disease specialist and member of the network’s pandemic response team.

“We believe providing surgical masks to employees may help further protect both our patients and caregivers,” he said in a statement. “We’ll also be educating our staff on the proper and safe use of the masks.”

AHN reported that it is strictly following guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding the use of personal protective equipment by hospital staffers.

UPMC reported it has implemented a covid-19 screening questionnaire that must be completed by anyone entering facilities, including patients, visitors, employees and essential vendors. Those who fail will be sent home and instructed on how to obtain care. Employees have to contact the Employee Health Department before beginning work.

Patients who fail the screening will be given a mask and escorted to a separate area to await care or directed to wait outside until such an area is identified.

Staff and visitors who pass the screening will be given a surgical mask to wear while in UPMC hospitals.

The efforts are in response to a growing number of confirmed cases of covid-19 across the nation and region.

Allegheny County on Friday reported 158 positive cases, an increase of 25 in a day. Two people in the county have died from complications of covid-19.

There were 30 positive cases in Westmoreland County, which was subjected to a stay-at-home order from Gov. Wolf on Friday.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health on Friday reported 531 new cases, increasing the total statewide to 2,218. Pennsylvania has reported 22 deaths from the highly contagious respiratory disease.

More than 535,000 people worldwide have contracted the disease. As of Thursday, the United States was reporting more cases of covid-19 than any other country.