Roosevelt Island Coronavirus Update From Coler Hospital And RIOC - Coler Resident Says HHC Has To Step Up Their Game To Protect Residents, Coler Staff May Need More N 95 Masks Too - RIOC Says A Few Employees Test Positive For Coronaviurs

Associate Nurse Practitioner Meng Zhong of NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler on #RooseveltIsland helps to calm residents’ family members who aren’t able to visit at this time. “Families know we take care of their loved ones,” he says. Thank you for being one of our #HealthCareHeroes. pic.twitter.com/pAsnA1nVgb

— NYC Health + Hospitals (@NYCHealthSystem) April 1, 2020

Reported yesterday that 49 Roosevelt Island residents have tested positive for Coronavirus. Here's an update from a resident of NYC Health & Hospital Corp (HHC) Coler facility:

COVID-19 has everyone at Coler uncertain. No one knows what to expect from one day to the next. I hear conflicting stories about the Coronavirus here. Some are saying, Nah. Others are saying, Yeah. From what I see I will go with the yeahs.

They are transporting patients from hospitals like Elmhurst into clean units. By that I mean no one is sick in these units. A patient was brought here from another hospital and was running a temperature and now this unit will probably be quarantined because of administration being irresponsible with such actions. They put a lot of patients at risk. That I feel is very irresponsible on their part because the hospital this patient came from is a hot spot.

So many units are quarantined and there has been some deaths. How many? I don't really know. I don't know if they were COVID-19 related. The staff tells me they are not being given any info on the situation. They usually call a code blue when someone is unresponsive. Well, they have stopped doing that because my guess is they don't want to alarm other patients.

 I was told that on 3/29/20 there were 2 deaths in that one day alone. A staff member told me that if the patients were cared for properly they feel a lot of them could recover. In other words, if you get sick you you probably won't get the proper care. I can't say this is happening all over Coler but there have been observed instances by other staff when this was happening. Also, not all deaths are Corona related, most of the deaths did not occur here. They were sent to Hospitals.

I want to close by saying Coler has to step up their game, they can start by isolating patents with the Virus. Instead of keeping them in the unit with patients who don't have it and by not housing patients from other hospitals with Coler patients. I understand for them to do this there is the issue of staffing which is somewhat of an issue right now because so many people are calling out. But in times like this they should have a plan. By" they" I mean the HHC, because I believe Coler is following their guidelines.

I've received some reports today that Coler staff are lacking sufficient N 95 masks - am looking into this. Stay tuned.

Also, Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Public Information Officer Terrenc McCauley reports:

RIOC Heroes

Over half of RIOC employees have continued to go to work each day throughout this crisis. Our Public Safety Department has been here to keep our residents safe and serve as a vital lifeline for seniors and this disabled. Members of our Transportation Department have continued to run Red Bus service and make sure our buses operate properly. Our Groundskeepers are still working hard to keep Roosevelt Island clean and our Facilities personnel are on hand to make all essential repairs.

The public’s concern for the well-being of our employees has been touching. Although a few of them have tested positive for the Coronavirus (COVID-19), they are all recovering nicely and will be back at work soon. RIOC adheres to New York State’s strict protocol to quarantine all employees who come into contact with infected people. We are dedicated to ensuring the safety of all Roosevelt Island residents and RIOC employees as well.