Good Morning America 3: New Surge of COVID-19 Cases in California

A Cedars-Sinai nurse wearing the personal protective equipment (PPE) used when treating COVID-19 patients. Photo by Cedars-Sinai.

Jose Chavez RN, with personal protective equipment (PPE) in patient room.

Good Morning America 3 recently interviewed Jeffrey A. Smith, MD, JD, MMM, executive vice president of Hospital Operations and chief operating officer at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, about rising COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) cases in Los Angeles County.

Smith told anchor Amy Robach that Cedars-Sinai's current COVID-19 patients are younger, mostly between the ages of 40 and 49—a big change from April when COVID-19 patients tended to be in their 80's or older.

So what has Cedars-Sinai been doing to protect its staff during this second surge, asked Robach?

"We worked hard during this entire time to prepare, specifically making sure we have enough personal protective equipment, which we do, for both our patients as well as our staff," Smith said. "We're screening our staff for symptoms. We're taking their temperatures. We're requiring them to wear masks as we do for anybody who enters our hospital at any time, as well as encouraging frequent handwashing."

Robach noted that while clinical staff at the hospital have been treating patients with COVID-19 or other health issues, investigators have also been doing innovative research related to the novel coronavirus.

"We have well over 30 studies going on here, and through time, we're learning more about this virus and how to care for patients and support their care," Smith said.

In addition to Cedars-Sinai's attention to treating COVID-19 patients and conducting research, most of Cedars-Sinai's patients are hospitalized for unrelated illnesses. And Smith encouraged patients to not delay their medical care because of COVID-19 fears.

"We continue to have capacity to treat all patients with COVID or without COVID," Smith said. "We're able to care for patients safely. We test all patients as they're coming into our hospital for COVID, and our COVID patients are kept in a separate part of the hospital and isolated. And so we're confident that we can care for patients safely."

Click here to watch the complete interview from GMA3.

Read more on the Cedars-Sinai Blog: Cedars-Sinai Partners Provide COVID-19 Relief for Vulnerable Angelenos