Coronavirus tragedy: Chinese doctor who postponed wedding to treat patients dies of infection.  Feb 21,2020.

From Norbert Goldfield (Ask Nurses and Doctors LLC, AND)

Three updates from AND

1. From Andrew Goldstein. If you read anything today – read this.

I’m watching my hospital, my city, and my world be hit by surges of people sick with COVID19. I know people who have lost loved ones already, and I know health workers who are sick.

But this is actually the tense silence before the storm. The real tidal wave is yet to come and it is still somewhat preventable, if only we intensify our public health approach immediately and ensure it is equitable and humane. With that in mind, my colleague Akash Goel MD and I wrote this plea in The Hill today:

A plea from NYC physicians: Our window of opportunity is closing to avoid Italy’s fate

We know there are challenges and concerns about such measures but I think we can solve them. I hope you will share this message. We must follow the lead of countries that have taken these massively life-saving steps earlier, or we’ll likely join the ones that regretted not doing so.

Spread the word NOW.

2.  It was a matter of time. One of my colleagues, is a retired non practicing physician on life support with Covid-19. One friend has been hospitalized. Despite this challenge, the administrator of our practice emotionally said to me yesterday how each and every physician has volunteered to do more. 200 health professionals in the Baystate system that I am part of are under quarantine. Conditions for which I would ordinarily see the patient – were all managed by phone yesterday.

3. For those interested in more details on our emerging understanding of covid 19 and its antecedents pls sign up for regular updates and the latest research from NIH. https://www.nih.gov/health-information/coronavirus

4. We need to keep in mind who is responsible for the Covid-19 debacle in this country; who is responsible for cutting back just passed legislation on paid leave (any number of the medical assistants I work with are at home with their kids instead of at work); who is blithely stating falsehoods time and time again; who could have taken action but didn’t  – it is the executive branch (with help from the U.S. Senate).  See these links:

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/15/opinion/trump-coronavirus.html?searchResultPosition=8

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/20/us/coronavirus-poverty-school-lunch.html/

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/19/trump-slash-red-tape-to-find-coronavirus-drugs/

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/20/us/politics/trump-coronavirus-supplies.html?action=click&module=Spotlight&pgtype=Homepage;

Please act on your outrage via letters to the editor; op-eds; uploads on you-tube videos or any other form of communication  We are happy to help review any communication you choose to write.   Norbert Goldfield MD  and David Posnett MD