Coronavirus Health Workers, Overwhelmed and Underprotected

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/31/opinion/letters/coronavirus-health-workers.html

Version 0 of 1.

To the Editor:

Re “Illness, Panic and Courage: On the Virus’s Front Lines” (news article, March 31):

Military rhetoric in this and other articles is clouding the public’s understanding of what it is like to work in a hospital right now. Medical staff are not soldiers “fighting a war,” and we are not “in the trenches” or “on the front lines.” We did not sign up for this; unlike the military, medicine is not a career for which we ever expected to die.

Medical staff are being forced to work in extremely unsafe conditions. Furthermore, the burden of care often falls on the lowest-ranked workers. Resident physicians, for example, work 80 hours a week with one day off. Opportunities for residents are scarce outside of hospitals, so we cling to our jobs to avoid ruin.

Medical workers have already died in the United States, and more deaths are coming. We will be called “heroes” to hide the truth: We were killed on dangerous job sites.

Benjamin MorrisonBrooklynThe writer is a resident physician at SUNY Downstate.

To the Editor:

Re “Doctors Are Writing Their Wills,” by Bari Weiss (Sunday Review, March 29):

I was struck by the bravery of doctors, nurses and all those who work to fight the virus. I was also struck with what feels like my utter uselessness in the face of this crisis.

I am one of the lucky people for whom the virus has meant an extended stay at home. For me, the hardest aspect of self-quarantine has been the loss of my ability to feel as if I can make a difference. The paralysis of staying home and doing nothing is incredibly anxiety-inducing and frustrating. I feel as if I’m on a ship that’s swiftly sinking, and while a few intrepid souls are above deck risking their lives to steer us to safety, I’m forced to sit quietly and listen to the chaos unfold above.

Every day, I try to remind myself that by staying home I am doing a tiny but essential part in fighting the crisis. It’s just hard to feel brave from the safety of my bedroom.

Maggie GretherPasadena, Calif.The writer is a high school student.

To the Editor:

“I Am Hospitalized With the Coronavirus,” by Jeremy Egner (news analysis, nytimes.com, March 27), does an excellent job of personalizing a horrible experience and highlighting the enormous contributions being made by health care workers to help us through this crisis. He asks how we can help them in return.

One thought is for each hospital to set up a coronavirus relief fund to allow patients, families and local communities to contribute money to help the hospital acquire necessary supplies and equipment, and provide direct financial support to the health care workers in need. If not this, then something else must be done so that those with the means and desire can help our health care system sustain itself through the unfathomable demands being placed on it.

John F. RichPlymouth, Mass.

To the Editor:

Understandably this was a scary experience for someone in a demographic — a healthy 45-year-old without underlying conditions — that should not be seriously affected by the virus.

But Jeremy was lucky — he had the virus early. In a few weeks, many people like him will probably die because our health care system will be completely overwhelmed.

Todd C. LaJeunesseUniversity Park, Pa.

To the Editor:

Every day we are hearing governors complaining that the cost of critical supplies, from masks to ventilators, has been skyrocketing from one day to the next. Why are manufacturers being allowed to profit from this health care emergency? If a company was making a fair return for its product yesterday, then that should be the price, regardless of increased demand, today.

Our access to lifesaving health care, and providers’ access to supplies that keep them safe, should not depend on whether a state can outbid neighboring states. It is time for the federal government to impose price constraints under the Defense Production Act.

Carol GendelSan Marcos, Calif.