Coronavirus Update and Health System Preparations - 4/3

Testing and Confirmed Cases
To protect patient privacy, we have established a minimum threshold of five for reporting numbers of inpatients with laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19.

DCH internal counts as of noon on 4/3/20:

• Nine inpatients are being treated for COVID-19.

• Five or fewer inpatients who are positive for COVID-19 are being treated in the ICU.

• Five or fewer inpatients who are positive for COVID-19 are on ventilators.

• 32 (cumulative) have tested positive for COVID-19 including individuals from the ED, triage tent and inpatient. These individuals are not necessarily in the hospital.

• 943 (cumulative) have tested negative at DCH sites.

Screening Weekend Hours
DCH’s remote screening site just west of its Regional Medical Center will be open this Saturday from 8:30 a.m. – Noon and Sunday from 2 – 5 p.m.

Mask Assembly: Overwhelming Community Response
DCH would like to give a huge thank you to the community! Over 250 people from the community have already responded to yesterday’s request from DCH to sew masks from a special medical fabric. The fabric can be sterilized multiple times, and its microbial barrier properties are well tested.

With help from the COVID-19 Fund, DCH ordered a shipment of the fabric, which should make 3,600 masks. Once completed, the masks will go to direct patient care areas.

Two different styles of masks are being made from the fabric: One is similar to an N95 mask and the other is more like a procedural mask.

Volunteers have included college students, employees and DCH retirees. Volunteers are given a packet that includes fabric, a pattern and other items. These are picked up curbside at the Foundation.

The DCH Foundation is coordinating both the packet preparation and scheduling the volunteers. They are working to catch up with both and for those who have called to volunteer they will get back to you soon. We will update the community on how things are going early next week as the first of the masks start to come back and we refine the process.

Now Accepting Community Made Masks
In the last few days DCH asked everyone to start wearing masks in patient care areas. This has caused a substantial increase in usage.

DCH is now requesting the donation of homemade masks to be used in lower acuity areas such as the medical office buildings. The masks being made out of surgical fabric will be given to providers in higher acuity areas.

Starting Monday, a box will sit outside of the DCH Foundation office at 1110 Dr. Edward Hillard Dr. Please drop off homemade masks in the box and they will be collected multiple times a day. Anything you can share will be greatly appreciated.