Rep. Jerry McNerney Meets with Local Hospital Officials on Ebola, Pushes CDC for Action

Stockton, California – After several meetings with local hospital officials in his district, Rep. Jerry McNerney today sent a letter to the head of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) seeking answers to questions about federal assistance to deal with potential Ebola cases.

The letter to CDC Director Thomas Friedman conveys several concerns the hospital officials expressed about dealing with the any cases of the virus, including: dissemination of detailed safety procedures for health care workers; the availability of appropriate protective equipment for these workers; and the potential difficulty with transportation and disposal of hazardous waste associated with treating Ebola patients.

“The hospital officials I have met with in recent weeks expressed confidence that their facilities are adequately prepared to handle a small number of Ebola Virus cases,” said Rep. McNerney. “But these officials raised legitimate concerns about training, the availability of personal protective equipment, and medical waste disposal.  I will get answers from the CDC on what they are planning to do to help prepare our local health care facilities.”

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