Patients Still Steady For SIUH, But Needs Have Shifted
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Staten Island University Hospital is still seeing plenty of patients with storm related problems, but their needs have shifted.
During and right after Sandy, the hospital says it saw mostly people hit by debris or people exposed to the elements for too long.
Now, doctors say they're seeing more patients who lost medication during the storm.
They also say patients using oxygen tanks or ventilators are coming in because they have no power at home.
Doctors say they're also starting to see injuries related to cleanup efforts.
"When you start to clean out things in your home you may be exposed to dust which may have some mold in it, from which you can become ill," said Dr. Nicole Berwald of Staten Island University Hospital. "In addition, if there's standing water, better to be wearing rubber gloves, rubber boots if you're gonna come in contact with this as the water itself can have other bacteria and other microbes in it. Same thing when you're cleaning out your refrigerator or your freezer, what you should be doing if you haven't had power for some time because the food itself can become spoiled and can make you sick if you ingest it."
Doctors say workers should wear as much protective gear as possible while cleaning to reduce their chance of exposure, including gloves, goggles and masks.