For me (medicine intern, major US city but not in NYC) we've experienced a restriction of access to surgical masks and N95s. Specifically, N95s need to be signed out from a specific location then returned after each use (ie for a single patient, you can't keep it for the day). Additionally, the hospital has issued a call for donations from the community. For now, N95s are being saved to be reused until they are deemed too dirty, thought it is unclear what that means. Certainly though there must be some shortage if masks are being re-used.
The biggest problem with this is when it comes to rapids/code blues while on nightfloat. We're still expected to get masks from this one location and sign them out each time we need one. Its started to be the case that COVID positive/ COVID rule outs are getting rapids called but at night we don't know their status since they aren't our patients. Going to the desk to sign out a mask is impractical, particularly in the rare case that it is a real rapid/code blue and not a BS call. The consensus is that people are probably being exposed. Many residents, including myself have purchased N95s for themselves just to have them on hand should a situation arise.
For what its worth, our class has been sharing
this site which seems to be actively searching for supplies of in stock equipment for HCWs who need them.
