THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 2020 Page 3 ER doctor describes ominous feeling at CHA Everett By Christopher Roberson D r. Erin Beaumont, an attending physician at the Everett campus of Cambridge Health Alliance (CHA), recently recorded a series of videos documenting what life has been like as she braces for the worst of COVID-19. “When I left yesterday, our ICU [intensive care unit] was full, and we haven’t even come close to starting our surge yet,” she said before going into work at 4:48 p.m. on March 24. “I don’t know where we’re going to put these people; I don’t know what we’re going to do.” Following her shift, Beaumont spoke about a male patient who was young and did not have any preexisting health conditions. However, she admitted him as he was showing symptoms of COVID-19. “It’s heartbreaking and it makes me nervous because he’s my age,” said Beaumont, adding that the patient was later transferred to the ICU. In her March 26 video recorded at 11:30 p.m., Beaumont described the unnerving feeling of what lies ahead. “We’re just waiting – we’re sitting here waiting for the inevitable terribleness that we know is going to happen,” she said. Beaumont also said her mother asked if the hospital has an adequate supply of personal protective equipment to weather the surge of COVID-19 patients. “My answer was ‘I don’t know,’” she said. In addition, Beaumont said it Nonessential construction projects must cease operations By Christopher Roberson M ayor Carlo DeMaria and Health & Human Services Executive Director Jerry Navarra recently ordered that all elective construction projects be brought to a halt to help prevent the further spread of the COVID-19 virus. “During a state of emergency, Dr. Erin Beaumont, an emergency physician at CHA Everett Hospital, is bracing for the expected surge in COVID-19 patients. (Photo Courtesy of Cambridge Health Alliance) has been diffi cult to “draw the line” between treating her patients and protecting herself, adding that she has an asthma condition. “That’s something I’ve been grappling with morally,” she said. In her fi nal video, recorded on March 29 at 2:30 a.m., Beaumont said the hospital had been bombarded with a torrent of emergency patients earlier that night. “All of the sudden, we just got overwhelmed, ambulance after ambulance,” she said. “Our ICUs are full, our fl oors are full, the emergency room is full.” Governor Charlie Baker said the COVID-19 surge is expected to begin in Massachusetts sometime between April 7 and April 17. Everett does not have suffi cient staffi ng to ensure that job sites are safe,” they said in the March 31 order. “No work will be permitted if it jeopardizes the availability of resources needed to respond to COVID-19 or any other threat to public health, safety or welfare.” DeMaria and Navarra said the operators of nonessential construction projects were given until 5 p.m. on April 2 to shut down and secure their sites. “After that time, only skeleton crews, consisting of five individuals, will be permitted to enter construction sites for the remainder of the moratorium,” they said. DeMaria and Navarra said the sites that remain open will have at least one COVID-19 offi cer charged with maintaining a compliance log and ensuring that all workers adhere to local and state guidelines. In addition, with only one hospital in the city, the Everett campus of Cambridge Health Alliance (CHA Everett), DeMaria and Navarra said, “failure to limit exposure will result in the overburdening of the hospital’s resources and lead to a further health crisis emergency.” They also said CHA Everett is the only medical facility in the area that is equipped to treat patients from Chelsea, Malden, Revere, Saugus and Winthrop. “Hospital leaders have further indicated that their ethics teams are now analyzing how the hospitals will make decisions as to who should receive treatment and who should not or cannot,” said DeMaria and Navarra. “This is our reality today.” 505 Broadway Everett, MA 02149 Tel: 617-387-1120 www.gkdental.com • Family Dentistry • Crowns • Bridges • Veneers/Lumineers • Dental Implants • All on 4 Dental Implants • Emergency Dentist • Kid Friendly Dentist • Root Canals • Dentures • Invisalign Braces • Snap On Smile • Teeth Whitening We are the smile care experts for your entire family In House Dental Plan for $399 (Cleanings, X-Rays, Exams twice a year and 20% OFF Dental work) Schedule your FREE Consultations today EVERETT’S NEWEST RE COMPANY 560 Broadway, Everett, MA 02149 SAM RESNICK ADRIANA RESNICK 617-512-5712 sam@broadwayRE.com | www.broadwayRE.com DOMENICA RIGGIO Commercial Sales and Leasing. Residential Home Sales, Real Estate Consulting, Apartment Rentals, Real Estate Auctions, Business Brokerage, Personal Property Appraisals, Mass. Licensed Auctioneer
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