MercyOne North Iowa talks pandemic operations

We're learning how one local hospital is managing it's operations during the pandemic.

Mph hospitals are the battlegrounds where the war against the coronavirus is waged everyday.

Tonight, we're hearing how one local hospital is managing it's operations during the pandemic.

Kimt news 3's nick kruszalnicki is live in mason city with an update.

Nick?

Yes george ?

"* during the county's press conference this afternoon, we heard from mercy one north iowa c?

"*e?

"* o rod schlader.

He says the hospital is managing the pandemic very well and they're prepared for the long haul.

Xxx "there are currently 14 hospitalized for covid in north iowa and that's up one from last week."

Many of those hospitalized for covid?

"*19 are at mercy one north iowa in mason city.

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"* e?

"*o rod schlader says the hospital has a good supply of p?

"*p?

"*e on hand, but there remain occasional supply issues.

"we've run into a couple of problems witih gowns.

We've had some trouble with that but we got a new shipment in of gowns and we launder our own gowns, so that's been good.

Recently we're running into a shortage of the booties."

Rapid test kits can provide a result in a matter of minutes.

Schlader says the hospital is relying on in house tests right now, but there are plans to get the equipment for rapid tests.

"if we do get those machines, we probably will deploy those in a couple of our clinics and maybe at the test site, for people that maybe aren't symptomatic, but are traveling somewhere and they don't want to get anyone sick.

We can do a quick test and get the results."

Mercy one north iowa is still under visitor restrictions and according to schlader, restrictions will remain until there is a drop in case counts.

"we'd love to get off of our visitor restrictions, right now, the hospital is also looking to hire some more doctors and nurses.

Schlader said they had a couple of doctors retire ?

"* because ther age put them at extra risk during the pandemic.

Live in mason city, nick kruszalnicki, kimt news 3./// thanks nick.

Also mentioned during the press conference ?

*- the hospital is doing trials on antibody testing and if