#HARTFORD, CT)– Governor Dannel P. Malloy today announced that all Connecticut acute care hospitals have conducted an Ebola preparedness drill per his directive last week. The governor gave hospitals one week to complete the exercise to make sure their procedures were up to standard.
“The announcement last night of a New York City doctor who tested positive for Ebola underscores that we’re doing the right things to prepare for a potential case in Connecticut,” said Governor Malloy, who was briefed today on the Ebola situation by State Department of Public Health (DPH) Commissioner Dr. Jewel Mullen. “Making sure our hospitals and first responders are prepared is critical to our efforts.”
Following Governor Malloy’s directive, DPH issued guidance to hospitals on conducting the drill, which required an exercise specific to treating a patient with Ebola-like symptoms. The drills also had to include Emergency Medical Services (EMS). Elements of the drills included functional aspects of caring for a suspected Ebola patient such as screening protocols, methods of isolation, and use and disposal of personal protective equipment.
DPH is reviewing After Action Reports submitted by the hospitals, which will provide valuable feedback on how hospitals can further enhance levels of preparedness.
“These drills tested hospitals’ ability to identify, isolate, and treat a suspect patient with Ebola,” said Commissioner Mullen. “We will continue to work with them to ensure they can identify a patient with Ebola, protect health care workers so they can safely care for the patient, and remain coordinated with emergency responders.”
DPH has been working with hospitals for more than a decade through its hospital preparedness program to enhance hospital preparedness “all-hazard scenarios” including infectious disease outbreaks.
The Governor’s Unified Command Team (UCT) on Ebola is working closely with the First Responder community, including convening meetings to share information and best practices, and to answer questions. The UCT also released guidance to First Responders that addresses a variety of issues including dispatcher protocols, information for first responders regarding appropriate Personal Protective Equipment, as well as guidance to municipalities that receive a quarantine order.
In addition, the State Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) has provisions and plans in place for proper cleanup, handling, disposal of biomedical waste and other potentially contaminated material. This will help ensure protection of public health and avoid any further spread of the Ebola virus.
Over the past several weeks, Governor Malloy has taken several preventive measures to help prevent the spread of Ebola in Connecticut.
- Governor Malloy signed an executive order to grant authority to the Public Health Commissioner to quarantine an individual or group of individuals exposed or infected with the Ebola virus.
- The Department of Public Health has requested that all hospitals conduct an assessment of their readiness to detect, protect and respond to patients infected with Ebola.
- Governor Malloy convened a Unified Command Team to ensure statewide coordination in the ongoing emergency management efforts and also to provide clear communication to the public.
- The United Way’s 2-1-1 is also a resource equipped to handle inquiries regarding the Ebola virus.
The Governor’s Unified Command Team continues to meet to coordinate the state’s preparedness and any potential response, including working with the first responder community to provide them with operational guidance.
For more information, please visit the state’s new Ebola website, www.ct.gov/ebola
El gobernador Dannel P. Malloy anunció hoy que todos los hospitales de atención aguda de Connecticut han llevado a cabo un simulacro de preparación para el Ébola por su directiva la semana pasada. El gobernador dio a los hospitales de una semana para completar el ejercicio para asegurarse de que sus procedimientos estaban a la altura.
“El anuncio de ayer por la noche de un médico de la ciudad de Nueva York, quien dio positivo por Ébola subraya que estamos haciendo las cosas bien para prepararse para un posible caso en Connecticut”, dijo el gobernador Malloy, quien fue informado hoy sobre la situación del Ebola por el Departamento de Estado de Salud Pública (DPH) Comisionado Dr. joya Mullen. “Asegurarse de que nuestros hospitales y socorristas están preparados es fundamental para nuestros esfuerzos.”
Governador Dannel P. Malloy anunciou hoje que todos os hospitais de cuidados agudos Connecticut realizaram uma simulação de preparação Ebola por sua diretiva na semana passada. O governador deu hospitais uma semana para terminar o exercício para se certificar que seus procedimentos foram até o padrão.
“O anúncio ontem à noite de um médico de Nova York, que testou positivo para Ebola ressalta que estamos fazendo as coisas certas para se preparar para um caso potencial em Connecticut”, disse o governador Malloy, que foi informado hoje sobre a situação Ebola pelo Departamento de Estado de Saúde Pública (DPH) Comissário Dr. Jewel Mullen. “Certificar-se de nossos hospitais e socorristas são preparados é fundamental para os nossos esforços.”
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