New York | The Navy hospital ship arrived in Manhattan on Monday USNS Comfort has started to receive its first patients, but wants to stay in a “bubble” so as not to risk bringing the virus on board, according to its medical officer, Captain Patrick Amersbach.
Already intervened in a conflict and natural disaster zone, the Comfort is ready to welcome up to 1,000 patients, but will not take care of any Covid-19 patient.
As of Friday evening, he had received 21 patients, according to the ship’s press officer, Lieutenant-Commander Amelia Umayam.
“We consider that theUSNS Comfort is in a bubble, ”said Captain Amersbach, indicating that crew members are not allowed to get off the ship while the boat is docked.
Patients arrive directly from New York hospitals and will be screened to ensure they do not have the coronavirus.
For now, even relatives of patients are not allowed to board the ship.
“We are in the process of putting in place” a protocol so that a parent can visit a patient, says the medical manager of the Comfort, “Because no one wants to be deprived of their family”.
When a subcontractor must intervene on site to carry out an installation or a repair, he must be examined, wash his hands in front of a witness, put on a mask, before being brought under escort to the precise place on the ship where he is must intervene.
Once the operation is completed, he will be escorted directly out of the boat.
New York City has 56,289 positive coronavirus cases since the onset of the pandemic, and 1,867 deaths.
The Javits Center convention center, very close to the Comfort, which was converted into a field hospital by the US military, was also initially not to receive patients with coronavirus, will eventually accommodate them.
But such a change is not expected for theUSNS Comfort.
“We will try to stay in this bubble,” describes Captain Amersbach. “We don’t want to bring anything on board that could present a risk.”
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