FL to start tracking health workers who test positive for COVID-19 after we found it wasn’t

FL to start tracking health workers who test positive for COVID-19 after we found it wasn’t

Florida is now joining a short list of states that will begin tracking healthcare workers and first responders who test positive for COVID-19.

As Investigative Reporter Katie LaGrone explains, the new requirements follow our investigation that found the state missing this key data.

REPORT MEDICAL WORKERS ANDFIRST RESPONDERS.... WHO TESTPOSITIVE FOR THE "COVID-19VIRUS." THIS NEW MANDATE....FOLLOWS A CONTACT 5INVESTIGATION THAT FOUND....FLORIDA... LIKE MOST STATES.WAS*NO* TRACKING WHAT SOMEEXPERTS CALL "KEY DATA"... INSTOPPING THE VIRUS TO SPREADKATIE LA-GRONE EXPLAINS.<< THE SUNSHINE STATE ISSUINGNEW RULES TO BETTER TRACKCOVID-19 AMONG CERTAIN PEOPLEDEEMED HIGH RISK... ACCORDINGTO THESE DOCUMENTS OBTAINED BYTHE (I-TEAM) -- JUST ONE DAYAFTER WE WERE FIRST TODISCOVER THE STATE - WASN'TTRACKING HEALTHCARE WORKERSAND FIRST RESPONDERS WHOTESTED POSITIVE FOR THEVIRUS... FLORIDA'S HEALTHDEPARTMENT NOW MANDATING ALLHEALTHCARE PROVIDERS ANDFACILITIES“MUST IMMEDIATELYREPORT ALL COVID-19 CASE”INVOLVING MEDICAL WORKERS ANDPUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEESINCLUDING LAW ENFORCEMENT ANDFIRE FIGHTERS.

11:00- ITREALLY IS ASTONISHING THAT WEHAVEN'T ASKED THAT QUESTION ALONG TIME AGO.

LAST WEEK,MARTIN PEEBLE, A REGISTEREDFLORIDA NURSE AND UNIONREPRESENTATIVE SPOKE OUT OVERCONCERNS HOSPITALS WERE NOTPROPERLY PROTECTING EMPLOYEESWORKING THE FRONTLINES ...CASES INVOLVING MEDICALWORKERS WITH THE VIRUS IS KEYDATA, HE SAYS, TO STOPPING ITSSPREAD.

8:13- IT'S PRETTOBVIOUS, HOW ARE YOU GOING TOMANAGE SOMETHING IF YOU'RE NOTTRACKING IT.

HEAD OF THESTATE'S NURSES ASSOCIATIONALSO SUPPORTS THE NEWMANDATES.

SOT FLORIDA JOINSSEVERAL OTHER STATES INCLUDINGOHIO AND MINNESOTA THAT ARENOW TRACKING HEALTHCARWORKERS INFECTED WITH THVIRUS... WHILE ITS TOO SOON TOKNOW HOW JUST MANY OF THE MORETHAN 13-THOUSAND POSITIVCASES REPORTED IN THE STATEARE HEALTHCARE WORKERS...WITHTHE VIRUS NOT EXPECTED TO PEAKHERE FOR ANOTHER MONTH...THENEW RULES AIM TO ZERO IN ONPOPULATIONS MOSTVULNERABLE...IF IT'S NOTALREADY TOO LATE.

(POSSIBLEEND SOT WITH NURSE UNIONLADY?) KATIE LAGRONE TAG OUT.