“As a physiatrist working with vulnerable populations, COVID-19 is an especially concerning infection as we’ve seen the outbreaks among long term care and nursing facilities.
The most pressing issue on the frontlines is the lack of adequate PPE supply. This has been a crisis for weeks, forcing doctors and other medical staff to ration equipment. This has dovetailed with a lack of transparency on inventory and timelines for procurement and delivery. I’ve had multiple colleagues tell me about how PPE is either kept under lock & key, or is simply not available. Shockingly, in some instances, hospital administrations have intimidated and admonished workers for trying to protect themselves with their own supplies.
This represents a failure of leadership at the highest levels.
Frontline healthcare workers are the warriors in this battle, and they require and deserve the appropriate protective gear, while they take care of our sickest patients.
Despite this, I have been inspired by my colleagues who have demonstrated a dedication, commitment, courage and selflessness throughout this pandemic. It is their sense of purpose and sacrifice that motivates me every single day. Our country owes them a debt of gratitude.”
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