Skip to Content
Remaining Ad Time Ad - 00:00

San Luis Obispo County health workers protest over lack of PPE

Nurses  and families protest
KEYT/Anikka Abbott
Nurses and their families protest a shortage of PPE in San Luis Obispo County medical facilities.

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. - In San Luis Obispo, medical staff held a vigil and protest Thursday night because of a lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) at French Hospital and other San Luis Obispo County medical facilities.

Hospitals nationwide are seeing a shortage of PPE amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The protesters are members of National Nurses United. The union represents 150,000 nurses across the country.

Nurses say they are especially in need of N95 respirators.

Their argument is that, without these, the nurses are not safe. Therefore, the patients are not safe either.

Just today, San Luis Obispo County announced 15 health workers in the county are sick with COVID-19. This means that one in six positive tests in the area is a healthcare worker.

Public health officials said there is enough PPE on hand in the county right now.

"We have been getting additional PPE in on a regular basis to the county," said Dr. Penny Borenstein, San Luis Obispo County health official. "We are making supplies available to the hospitals. If they don't ask us for supplies, we are not offering it."

Dignity Health said their hospitals have enough PPE on hand to meet the current need.

"French Hospital Medical Center has the supplies and equipment to effectively protect our caregivers as they screen and treat any patients," said Megan Maloney, senior director of marketing and communications
at Dignity Health. "We continuously assess the volume of supplies at our facility."

Protestors are saying that Dignity Health is asking them to re-use masks.

The protest began at 8:00 pm outside the San Luis Obispo County Courthouse Annex.

Article Topic Follows: Coronavirus

Jump to comments ↓

Author Profile Photo

Anikka Abbott

Anikka Abbott is a weather anchor and reporter for News Channel 3-12. To learn more about Anikka, click here.

BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION

News Channel 3-12 is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation.

Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here

If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here.

Skip to content