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Angie Vasa

๐Ÿ‘ค Speaker
111 total appearances

Appearances Over Time

Podcast Appearances

Science Friday
Inside the Nebraska quarantine facility responding to hantavirus

Okay.

Science Friday
Inside the Nebraska quarantine facility responding to hantavirus

All of the floors are sealed seam flooring and so easily wipeable.

Science Friday
Inside the Nebraska quarantine facility responding to hantavirus

So it's kind of a really interesting blend between a hotel room and a hospital room.

Science Friday
Inside the Nebraska quarantine facility responding to hantavirus

Is there room service?

Science Friday
Inside the Nebraska quarantine facility responding to hantavirus

Yeah, there is.

Science Friday
Inside the Nebraska quarantine facility responding to hantavirus

So because they're not allowed to leave the room, our staff provides everything, including toiletries.

Science Friday
Inside the Nebraska quarantine facility responding to hantavirus

meal delivery, snack delivery, personal items.

Science Friday
Inside the Nebraska quarantine facility responding to hantavirus

We also do all of their laundry.

Science Friday
Inside the Nebraska quarantine facility responding to hantavirus

So we do that each evening.

Science Friday
Inside the Nebraska quarantine facility responding to hantavirus

And then I think one of the unique things about our facility is that we also have an autoclave on site.

Science Friday
Inside the Nebraska quarantine facility responding to hantavirus

So for some of our pathogens that produce category A hazardous substance waste, if people become sick,

Science Friday
Inside the Nebraska quarantine facility responding to hantavirus

you need to be able to inactivate that waste prior to shipping it out.

Science Friday
Inside the Nebraska quarantine facility responding to hantavirus

And so we have the ability to escalate to those full isolation procedures on this floor should somebody become ill prior to being able to move them over to the hospital side.

Science Friday
Inside the Nebraska quarantine facility responding to hantavirus

Yeah.

Science Friday
Inside the Nebraska quarantine facility responding to hantavirus

So when you have like Ebola virus disease is actually a great example or any of the viral hemorrhagic fevers because the virus can persist on surfaces for an extended period of time.

Science Friday
Inside the Nebraska quarantine facility responding to hantavirus

And it takes such a low amount of virus to infect someone.

Science Friday
Inside the Nebraska quarantine facility responding to hantavirus

So infectious dose is, you know, a big consideration.

Science Friday
Inside the Nebraska quarantine facility responding to hantavirus

That waste can't just be sent out to the normal waste streams.

Science Friday
Inside the Nebraska quarantine facility responding to hantavirus

And so it goes into the autoclave and we essentially use steam sterilization to denature the virus so that it is no longer viable.

Science Friday
Inside the Nebraska quarantine facility responding to hantavirus

And then it gets packaged up as a Category B regulated medical waste and sent for incineration.