On December 14th, the Washington Post sent a reporter to Rhode Island for a look at one field hospital, much like those all across the country: “Inside a Rhode Island field hospital, preparing for the worst of the pandemic.” Rhode Island has two field hospitals: One is in Providence and one is in Cranston where the reporter spent the day.
The timing includes the totally predictable surge resulting from the idiots who just had to travel for Thanksgiving because . . . I miss my family.
The reporter interviewed one patient who had decided that she was just going to do what she wanted to do, the citizens of Rhode Island be damned:
The woman, who lives in Batavia, N.Y., acknowledged that she embodies the warnings health authorities offered before the holiday. She and family members from other places quarantined for 14 days, then traveled to this area for Thanksgiving. More than 20 people came down with the coronavirus after the holiday gathering, possibly infected by one relative who broke quarantine briefly, she said. The only member of the group who was hospitalized, she has since been discharged. The Post is not using her name to prevent identification of her family members.
I love that the family has decided to blame one person. (Dear WashPo, please send the reporter to join this odious clan next Thanksgiving — bring a film crew.) I include this infuriating anecdote for all those people who are currently getting tested so they can go out on New Year’s Eve. It doesn’t work that way. (And that “more than 20 people came down with the coronavirus”? How big was this gathering?!! Horrible family.)
But that is only a small part of the article; the rest is given over to highlighting the wonderful, selfless medical personnel and support staff laboring under such exhausting and dangerous conditions. Many of them traveled here to volunteer!!!
You are all heroes! A HUGE THANK YOU to:
Laura Forman, Paari Gopalakrishnan, Preston Eyerman, Naomi Barnum, Sabrina Geer, Brad Morisseau, and Heather Wisdom.
And how about this guy? “Nursing officer Bill McGuire has moved a cot into an unused office and sleeps at the facility most nights.”
Thank you, thank you, thank you.