Part I: Healthcare
If you’re like me, you’re probably stuck at home feeling rather anxious and more than a bit helpless. The good news is: there are lots of ways we can help! I’ve interviewed healthcare providers and asked what they need at the front lines. Here are some of their answers.
Donate Any Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
By now, everyone knows that we are quickly running out of Personal Protective equipment (PPE). Doctors, nurses, paramedics and lab techs do not have enough respirators, gloves, gowns and masks to perform their daily tasks safely. Providers are being told to reuse their masks (which are normally disposable after one use) until they ‘fall apart,’ or told they are not allowed to wear a mask unless they are within two feet of a potentially infectious patient.
PPE, such as gloves, masks, respirators, hand sanitizer, gowns, or face masks, are in dire need by healthcare providers. You do not need need PPE for a regular trip to the grocery store or pharmacy, unless you are actively sick (in which case, you should just stay home anyway). Yes, certain countries such as China, Taiwan, and South Korea, have shown that if the general population wears masks when they go out, it can help flatten the curve. But they are not facing the huge shortage of PPE that we are. When it comes down to it, our healthcare providers are on the front lines, interacting with COVID patients every day. If we want our healthcare providers to keep showing up to work, then we need to do our best to make sure they are protected.
You are not alone if you have stockpiled masks. Apple recently donated 9 million masks, with Facebook and Goldman Sachs following suit. Even if you just have one or two items, a small donation can make all the difference. If you live in Oregon, you can drop off donated PPE here. If you live anywhere else in the US, check out this website for more details.
Stop making fabric masks
Yes, you heard me. Please stop. They can actually make things worse. N-95 respirators are made from an extremely dense fabric that filters out 98% of the particulates from the air. Fabric masks only filter about 3%. The CDC has put out guidelines that medical professionals should wrap a scarf or bandanna around their face if, and only if, there is absolutely no other protective option. Ideally, it should be paired with a face shield. While this is kind of like asking soldiers to go to the front lines with a vest that is 3% bullet-proof, it is a measure of how desperate the situation is.
But isn’t a cloth facemask better than nothing? No! First, you have to get the material for the masks somewhere and going out to buy supplies is taking an unnecessary risk, putting yourself and the retail workers in danger. Second, fabric masks provide a false sense of confidence. Due to the familiarity of the mask’s feel and presence, the mask may cause providers to take unsafe risks. Research has shown that there are fewer accidents when safety markings are removed from the road (for instance, the white line in the middle) because people drive more carefully when there is uncertainty. In other words, a false sense of security is actually more dangerous than minimal safety features. Finally, and most importantly, a recent study published in the British Medical Journal Open found that the rates of respiratory infections are higher in healthcare providers wearing fabric masks.
“Cloth masks should not be used by workers in any healthcare setting, but particularly high-risk situations such as emergency departments, intensive care, paediatric or respiratory wards.”
BMJ Open
Hold up. Aren’t hospitals asking for donation of masks? Why yes, they are. This is a source of friction for many physicians. The promotion of fabric masks has mostly been through hospital administrators and fabric manufacturers, rather than through solid medical advice and evidence.
If you have already made fabric masks, the best use would be for you! No, that’s not a contradiction of everything I’ve already said. Fabric masks are not very good at filtering out particulates, which is why they are bad for healthcare providers directly in contact with virus-shedding patients. But you are much less likely to come into direct contact with a COVID-19 patient, and fabric masks can help prevent you from spreading germs to others. Since approximately 80% of COVID infections are mild or asymptomatic, there’s a chance you have it and don’t know it. So, if you’ve made fabric masks, wear it yourself when you go out in public, just as an added layer of precaution. Again, don’t make a special trip to buy material; the best thing to do is just stay home.
Give Blood!
Currently, the American Red Cross cites a critical need for blood and platelets. If you have never donated, or if you haven’t donated in a while, now is the time! Blood drives are being cancelled at an alarming rate, but the need for blood is the same. Unfortunately, even in the time of COVID, people still get in car wrecks, have cancer, or need emergency surgeries. Without enough blood donations, we could have a secondary healthcare crisis on our hands. If you’re interested in finding out where to donate blood, you can find donation sites through the Red Cross or NW Bloodworks.
If you’re going to make your own hand sanitizer…
The CDC is pretty clear on this: hand washing with soap and water is always better. Store-bought hand sanitizer should be used only when you don’t have access to soap and water, such as at the grocery store or pharmacy. And yes, all hand sanitizer has apparently disappeared from the face of the earth. (Although a bunch of distilleries have banded together to make more! Read the story here)
If you’re going to make your own, you need at least 60% alcohol, and a moisturizing ingredient to make sure you’re hands don’t become cracked and raw (and thus easier for viruses and bacteria to grow). This means using rubbing alcohol and aloe vera. No, vodka isn’t strong enough, and ‘naturally occurring’ essential oils such as vitamin E or witch hazel do not kill the virus. A recipe can be found here.
However, homemade hand sanitizer should only be used in extreme situations, where no handwashing will be available for the foreseeable future. Hand washing actually kills and physically removes germs, but hand sanitizer only reduces their numbers. So wash those paws!
Take Care of Yourself
COVID-19 isn’t the only disease out there. You don’t want to be one of those people getting rushed to an already overwhelmed ER. Obviously, many emergencies can’t be helped, but don’t go to the ER unless it’s a real emergency (I’m looking at you, my 2am toe-fungus patient!). If you have a chronic disease or take medications, check your supply and make sure you have refills. Contact your provider well in advance if you need more.
Taking care of yourself isn’t just a good idea; it can go a long way towards relieving the stress on the healthcare system by preventing sick visits. Drink lots of water, eat healthy, go outside and exercise if you can. In these times of stress and isolation, it is also important to take care of your mental health, whether that’s taking your meds, journaling, art, prayer, music, meditation or watching terrible Disney sequels (guilty). Reach out to the people you love – phone calls, Facetime, Zoom, email, handwritten letters – you name it. Social distancing does not mean emotional distancing.
Stay Home
It isn’t sexy or particularly interesting, but the best thing we can do right now is to shelter in place. You know the rules. Stay home except for necessary chores (grocery store, pharmacy, etc), cancel all social gatherings and playdates, don’t visit your Grandma, stay six feet apart when in public, and Wash. Your. Hands.
Of note, social distancing does not mean stay indoors. You can go for a run, take your dog or kids for a walk around the neighborhood. But don’t drive out to the beach for the day. Don’t attempt to hike Multnomah Falls or Dog Mountain. If its outside, but there’s a crowd, it is not social distancing. Use common sense.
I’ll talk about that more in my next post, ‘How to help Part II: Community.’ For now, I hope these suggestions are helpful. Leave a comment with any questions or suggestions!
Practical suggestions, and in plain English! Thank you, Natalie!