Jeremy Grayson

Hi everyone.... I’m a pediatric anesthesiologist at a major teaching hospital and trauma center in New Jersey. I also routinely care for all adult type patients. Day to day (and overnight), during this pandemic, I am providing care in the operating room for urgent and emergent patients as well as intubating patients that are known COVID+. I have been a tireless and outspoken advocate for universal N95 respirators for all hospital staff, not just doctors, nurses involved in COVID care in the ICU or ER, but for techs, PT, OT, RT, janitors, food service, security, etc. I have witnessed too many in hospital outbreaks that are the direct result of this lack. Surgical masks seem fine to admins,but what they don’t see, and understand is that if we work under the assumption that everyone is sick, and force staff back to work when asymptomatic but still shedding virus, these transmissions will continue. I have a wife and two younger children who are worried for my safety every day, and know the risks because I’ve been so vocal about my concerns about the mishandling of this situation at every level.

Reuse is not safe for patients and others in the hospital, and ourselves. The concept of reusing any mask, yet alone one that is know to have been exposed to a contaminated environment is a direct violation of every JCAHO, CMS, OSHA, Hospital, and general sanitary policy designed to prevent the spread of infectious disease in a hospital. And this is being done at a time where rules should be unforced, not reduced. Also, in addition to helping myself, I’d like to be able to help the lower level, minimum wage employees that are at risk as well, but have less voice than me, by having supplies that I can give to them as well; they have families and loved ones and without them the hospital ceases to function.

I need n95 masks. Regular surgical masks. Face shields, both disposable and high grade reusable. Safety glasses/goggles. Half and full face respirators with extra filter cartridges with a preference for p100. We also need gowns, thank you!

These are dire times, for physicians, nurses, and all hospital workers. Our basic protections have been systematically scaled back and/or eliminated all together by hospital administrators using the ever scaled back CDC protective guidelines, at a time they should be even more stringent to protect healthcare, patients, and the community at large. I appreciate any help more than I can possibly express.