South Plains hospitals prepared for worst case scenario

LUBBOCK, TX (KCBD) - As new cases of Ebola are diagnosed across the United States, hospitals on the South Plains are preparing for the worst case scenario.

"It's something to be aware of but not to panic about," said Kari Love.

Love is the Regional Director of Infection Prevention for Covenant Health Texas.

"Stay calm, we're aware and we continue our normal hospital processes," she said. "There is nothing to panic about. Just do the things that you would do in flu season, wash your hands, get your flu shot and should somebody have Ebola, then we are ready to handle that."

Even though Love says the chances of Ebola making its way to Lubbock is low, Covenant has measures in place should a diagnosis occur.

"I could probably speak for a couple hours telling you, but it's the little tiny things like making sure we're cleaning on a daily basis and having trained staff go in there to do something as simple as cleaning a room," Love said.

"We would have a dedicated room on a nursing unit that is isolated to take care of that patient, checklists and making sure that we have the right personal protective equipment - those Tyvek suits and things that people are wearing, making sure we have adequate supplies of those things, any type of equipment that might be taken into that room, like for a chest x-ray or to draw a lab. We've had to set processes in place to dedicate equipment so that we're not taking that back and forth throughout the hospital."

She said Covenant is following recommendations given by the CDC.

"As a region we have prepared our physician clinics and our emergency rooms are ready for recognition of that patient. We've gone through the process of where we would put that patient and how we would care for that patient and as far as cleaning and disinfection and preventing that from escaping," Love said.

Love says people infected with Ebola show similar symptoms to people who have the flu, but before rushing to the emergency room, you have to be practical.

"A fever of 101.5 or higher, muscle aches, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, all those things. Those are very similar to an influenza-type virus, so the difference is, have you been to West Africa and actually in contact with someone with Ebola or do you have the flu," Love said.

"It's not airborne, so it is spread through blood, our body fluids, so sneezing, coughing, typically though, it's going to be something that would happen from maybe a needle stick or if you did not have a facemask and shield on and somehow blood got sprayed in your face. It's going to enter through your mucus membranes which are your mouth, nose, eyes."

UMC says they are prepared for Ebola as well, releasing this statement:

"UMC has remained in contact with TDHS and the Lubbock Health department since the case was reported in Dallas. Medical personnel have been briefed on symptoms and criteria for such a diagnosis. Though an Ebola case in our region is unlikely, it would not be surprising. Both hospitals are prepared."

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