Nurses at Kaiser Permanente Hospital in Walnut Creek are on the frontlines of treating people who may be infected with COVID-19 and on Monday night, they held a protest to let people know they don’t feel protected. Cheryl Hurd reports.
“We ask for 10 masks and we may only get two,” said nurse Marissa Nonaka.
A Kaiser Permanente spokesperson in a prepared video release said the hospital is concerned about nurses safety during the pandemic, “but to suggest we are not providing protect or the right protective equipment is simply inaccurate.”
Governor Gavin Newsom is aware of the stress being felt on both sides during the health crisis.
“We need 200 million, that’s 200 illion sets of gowns, masks and shields” to address the hospital system alone over the course of a 90-day period, the governor said.
Newsom is also asking for a billion sets of gloves. All of this as health care workers and first responders in Contra Costa County are getting tested for COVID-19 at a drive through facility.
“These are the people we need to get back to work to take care of our community if they are not infected,” said Dr. Sara Levin.
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The drive through testing clinic will be operating seven days a week until the crisis is over or until test kits last.
