Manhattan Beach: Emergency Department Physician Talks COVID-19

MANHATTAN BEACH, CA — He sees the personal impacts of the coronavirus every time he works. As an attending physician in the Emergency Department at Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center in Torrance, Dr. Mike Tarnay of Manhattan Beach has treated the COVID-19 patients who arrive at the hospital in need of care.

Currently, the ED sees about 150-180 patients a day. At least half have COVID-19, he told Manhattan Beach Patch. Though the South Bay has remained relatively shielded from the onslaught and havoc wrought by the virus, Tarnay saw that trend change around Thanksgiving.

"We have been adapting to the massive surge over the last few weeks," he said of the ED. "Our COVID census jumped from less than 20 in early November to 170 last week. When the surge first hit we were severely impacted with critically ill COVID patients. We filled up our ICUs in the first week after Thanksgiving. We were boarding many sick patients in the ED due to bed shortage. Our hospital did an amazing job reconfiguring hospital spaces, creating new ICU areas and bringing in nurses to accommodate and care for our patients."

As the number of COVID-19 cases continue to increase in Manhattan Beach and the South Bay, Tarnay told Manhattan Beach Patch they now assume every patient who is brought into the ED may have the virus. "We are putting all positive COVID patients in isolation rooms with medical HEPA filters. Staff are utilizing PPE. All rooms are specially cleaned when changing patients. We have had to continue our no visitor policy to protect the community. Patients who are not significantly ill or do not require oxygen are being sent home with a COVID Home Monitoring Kit. This includes a pulse oximeter to allow patients to monitor their oxygen levels and a thermometer. Our nursing staff follows them via phone and the patient is given return precautions and instructions so they know the indications to return to the ED."

Of the ED patients who do require attention, he said, " In the ED our main focus continues to be focusing on patients with severe respiratory symptoms requiring oxygen or patients who are sytemically ill from COVID."

For Tarnay, the battle against COVID-19 continues. His ED shifts tend to be 9 to 11 hours and full of patients. But, there's been a light of hope now that he has received his second dose of a vaccine for the virus. Of that second shot, he said, "I was quite relieved to be on track towards being more protected. It has been such a constant strain and stress to worry about becoming infected and ,worse, potentially bringing it home to my family and loved ones. We are nowhere near out of the woods, but I am guardedly optimistic, that with people following the science, making a small sacrifice of wearing a mask, socially distancing and getting the vaccine so we may start returning to a semblance of normal."

He is thankful that he has not contracted the virus nor has he brought it home to his family. "I continue to periodically get tested to try and keep my family and co-workers safe," he noted. Of the vaccine, he said he had "mild arm soreness and a little fatigue and chills on day two" after his second dose. "It would not have kept me from going to work," he said.

For anyone at home sick with the virus, Tarnay said the "CDC has excellent instructions online for how to care for yourself if infected or sick." The directions also include instructions for people who are caring for someone infected with the coronavirus.

And for people who are considering being vaccinated, he said, "It is ultimately a personal choice. Inform yourself with reputable sources. What we know about the virus, its lethality, and potential long-term effects is much worse than the negative data we have about a vaccine which provides significant protection."

As for where the South Bay is headed with COVID-19, given the hope of vaccinations but a continuing escalation of infections, he said, "I say this with a little bit of trepidation because originally, our measures to wear masks and social distance helped. We have the geography and demographics of open spaces and minimal condensed housing which have also helped. However, recently, our South Bay has been hit harder with the virus. People are being confronted with family and loved ones dying and being significantly affected by the disease."