Nurses rally for more personal protective equipment amid dwindling supplies

Nurses protesting for more personal protection equipment to fight COVID-19

Nurses around the country are protesting for more personal protection equipment to be able to fight COVID-19. FOX 29's Jeff Cole reports.

PHILADELPHIA - Nurses spaced six feet apart rallied outside Crozier-Chester Hospital on Wednesday to emphasize their dwindling supply of personal protective equipment.

"We want to take care of theses patients to the best of our ability, but it’s getting to the point that we’re rationing so much it’s just scary," Nurse Laura Lambert said.

The demonstration at Crozier-Chester Hospital was one of several across the region, as the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses pleaded with government officials for reinforcements.

Rallies also took place at Jeans Hospital, Albert Einstein Hospital and Temple Hospital at various times of day.

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Nurses like Lambert say there is a "true fear" among nurses about being under-equipped to handle the deadly virus. It's a lack of personal protective equipment, Lambert says, that has contributed to nurses becoming infected.

Philadelphia Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley acknowledged the shortage of personal protective equipment during the city's daily briefing.

Farley indicated that Philadelphia's shortage is indicative of the shortages many cities, states and countries are dealing with right now.

"There’s a shortage of PPE around the world most of the PPE is made in China," Farley said. "China is shut down for a while. There’s a shortage in the entire system."

Presently there are over 26,000 cases of COVID-19 across the state of Pennsylvania, and more than 7,000 in Philadelphia.

Last week, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf signed an order allowing state health commandeer medical equipment for doctor's offices.

The order mandates that private and public health care facilities, manufacturers and other companies tabulate their supplies of personal protective equipment, drugs and other medical equipment, and provide an inventory to the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency within five days.

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