Pizza to the Polls

Friend of mine is a nurse at a major NYC hospital. Texted her to see how she’s doing with the pandemic. What she had to say was terrifying. First, she is trained in blood pathology, but her whole department has been shifted to Coronavirus response. 1/6

They’re dangerously short on supplies. Her entire floor, roughly 30 people, was given two boxes of masks for a total of 100. The hospital has told them they need to make them last for at least two weeks. That’s roughly 3.33 masks per health worker 2/6

On top of this, the hospital has changed their policy on workers exposed to patients with the virus. Normally, workers exposed would be sent home for quarantine. Now, they are to continue coming to work and just wear a mask 3/6

The reason for not quarantining the medical staff and making them work with a mask instead is because if they quarantined all that were exposed to Coronavirus, they would not have any doctors or nurses left to treat patients 4/6

It’s shocking. One of the best NYC hospitals is on a war footing against a global pandemic and does not have enough supplies to adequately address the threat. They feel like they’re fighting Covid-19 with one arm tied behind their back 5/6

Despite the equipment shortage, the doctors and nurses on the front lines are truly brave and the salt of the earth. They knowingly put themselves at risk to help others 6/6

Quick update—Asked my friend what we can do to help her and the other doctors/nurses. Her response: 1) Stop hoarding masks, gloves and other medical supplies 2) Stay home to flatten the curve 3) Wash your hands 4) Send food. They love food that isn’t from the hospital cafeteria