US THEY WERE IN DESPERATE NEED OF MASKS AND GOWNS.
OF MASKS AND GOWNS. THIS MORNING, HEAR THEM IN THEIR
THIS MORNING, HEAR THEM IN THEIR OWN WORDS.
OWN WORDS. >> MY NAME IS ESTHER CHU.
>> MY NAME IS ESTHER CHU. I’M AN EMERGENCY MEDICINE DOCTOR
I’M AN EMERGENCY MEDICINE DOCTOR IN PORTLAND, OREGON.
IN PORTLAND, OREGON. >> MARGOT SNYDER.
>> MARGOT SNYDER. >> DR. ROBERT WARREN.
>> DR. ROBERT WARREN. >> IF YOU’RE SICK WITH
>> IF YOU’RE SICK WITH CORONAVIRUS NEEDING
CORONAVIRUS NEEDING HOSPITALIZATION, MOST LIKELY
HOSPITALIZATION, MOST LIKELY I’LL BE THE ONE TAKING CARE OF
I’LL BE THE ONE TAKING CARE OF YOU.
YOU. >> THESE ARE SIMPLY NOT NORMAL
>> THESE ARE SIMPLY NOT NORMAL TIMES.
TIMES. >> I’M DR. ADAM FRIEDLANDER, I’M
>> I’M DR. ADAM FRIEDLANDER, I’M DIRECTOR OF PEDIATRIC EMERGENCY
DIRECTOR OF PEDIATRIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE AT NORTH SIDE HOSPITAL,
MEDICINE AT NORTH SIDE HOSPITAL, ATLANTA.
ATLANTA. WE’RE ALL TALKING ABOUT BUYING
WE’RE ALL TALKING ABOUT BUYING THE RIGHT MASKS ON EBAY.
THE RIGHT MASKS ON EBAY. WE’RE GOING ONLINE AND TRYING TO
WE’RE GOING ONLINE AND TRYING TO SEE WHO MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING IN
SEE WHO MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING IN STOCK.
STOCK. I SPENT ROUGHLY 10 TIMES RETAIL
I SPENT ROUGHLY 10 TIMES RETAIL FOR TWO MASKS I HOPE AREN’T
FOR TWO MASKS I HOPE AREN’T EXPIRED.
EXPIRED. THE CDC CAME OUT WITH A
THE CDC CAME OUT WITH A RECOMMENDATION THAT WHEN THESE
RECOMMENDATION THAT WHEN THESE SUPPLIES RUN OUT, WE MAY WANT TO
SUPPLIES RUN OUT, WE MAY WANT TO USE A BANDANA TIED AROUND OUR
USE A BANDANA TIED AROUND OUR FACE.
FACE. THE FACT THAT A RECOMMENDATION
THE FACT THAT A RECOMMENDATION LIKE THAT CAME OUT FROM THE
LIKE THAT CAME OUT FROM THE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL IS
CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL IS MIND BOGGLING TO ME.
MIND BOGGLING TO ME. WHAT DO WE DO WHEN HALF OF YOUR
WHAT DO WE DO WHEN HALF OF YOUR DOCTORS ARE OUT ON QUARANTINE,
DOCTORS ARE OUT ON QUARANTINE, YOU HAVE NO MORE BEDS, ALL YOUR
YOU HAVE NO MORE BEDS, ALL YOUR VENTILATORS ARE USED UP AND
VENTILATORS ARE USED UP AND THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF NEW
THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF NEW DIAGNOSES IN A SINGLE DAY.
DIAGNOSES IN A SINGLE DAY. WHAT DO YOU DO THEN?
WHAT DO YOU DO THEN? THAT’S WHAT WE’RE BRACING FOR.
THAT’S WHAT WE’RE BRACING FOR. >> WE DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH TO LAST
>> WE DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH TO LAST US FOR WHAT’S COMING.
US FOR WHAT’S COMING. I’M A PRACTICING EMERGENCY ROOM
I’M A PRACTICING EMERGENCY ROOM DOCTOR AND LEADER OF ONE OF OUR
DOCTOR AND LEADER OF ONE OF OUR GROUPS IN THE CENTRAL COAST OF
GROUPS IN THE CENTRAL COAST OF CALIFORNIA.
CALIFORNIA. WE KNOW WE DON’T HAVE ENOUGH
WE KNOW WE DON’T HAVE ENOUGH N95, PAP ERSPERS, A HOOD.
N95, PAP ERSPERS, A HOOD. WE’RE TRYING TO GET OUR HANDS ON
WE’RE TRYING TO GET OUR HANDS ON THESE.
THESE. HOSPITALS ARE ORDERING THEM AND
HOSPITALS ARE ORDERING THEM AND THEY ARE NOT SHOWING UP.
THEY ARE NOT SHOWING UP. WE’RE SEEING HEALTH CARE WORKERS
WE’RE SEEING HEALTH CARE WORKERS GET SICK AT A MUCH HIGHER RATE
GET SICK AT A MUCH HIGHER RATE THAN THE POPULATION.
THAN THE POPULATION. THESE ARE YOUNG, HEALTHY, GO TO
THESE ARE YOUNG, HEALTHY, GO TO WORK EVERY DAY PHYSICIANS AND
WORK EVERY DAY PHYSICIANS AND DOCTORS.
DOCTORS. WITHOUT THIS YOU’RE GOING TO
WITHOUT THIS YOU’RE GOING TO LOSE PHYSICIANS AND NURSES.
LOSE PHYSICIANS AND NURSES. IF YOU LOSE THEM IN A
IF YOU LOSE THEM IN A MALCOMMUNITY LIKE WE ARE IN, YOU
MALCOMMUNITY LIKE WE ARE IN, YOU DON’T HAVE A BACK-UP FOR THAT.
DON’T HAVE A BACK-UP FOR THAT. >> I’VE NEVER USED ANY OF THESE
>> I’VE NEVER USED ANY OF THESE ITEMS FOR MORE THAN A SING
ITEMS FOR MORE THAN A SING EMPATIENT BECAUSE OF THE RISK OF
EMPATIENT BECAUSE OF THE RISK OF TRANSMISSION WE GENERALLY TAKE
TRANSMISSION WE GENERALLY TAKE THEM OFF RIGHT AFTER A PATIENT
THEM OFF RIGHT AFTER A PATIENT AND RIGHT INTO THE GARBAGE CAN.
AND RIGHT INTO THE GARBAGE CAN. WE’RE REALLY GOING INTO CRISIS
WE’RE REALLY GOING INTO CRISIS MODE.
MODE. >> WE’RE GETTING NO SUPPORT.
>> WE’RE GETTING NO SUPPORT. THAT’S THE BOTTOM LINE.
THAT’S THE BOTTOM LINE. IN FACT, WE’RE GETTING THE
IN FACT, WE’RE GETTING THE OPPOSITE OF SUPPORT.
OPPOSITE OF SUPPORT. WE HAVE TO FIGHT A SHORTAGE OF
WE HAVE TO FIGHT A SHORTAGE OF PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT.
PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT. WE HAVE TO FIGHT WITH HOSPITAL
WE HAVE TO FIGHT WITH HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATORS THREATENING TO
ADMINISTRATORS THREATENING TO DISCIPLINE US IF WE PROTECT
DISCIPLINE US IF WE PROTECT OURSELVES.
OURSELVES. A PATIENT COMES INTO THE
A PATIENT COMES INTO THE EMERGENCY ROOM FOR SOMETHING
EMERGENCY ROOM FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY UNRELATED.
COMPLETELY UNRELATED. THEY ARE CARED FOR BY 20, 30
THEY ARE CARED FOR BY 20, 30 DIFFERENT HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS.
DIFFERENT HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS. THEN A DAY OR FIVE DAYS LATER,
THEN A DAY OR FIVE DAYS LATER, WE FIND OUT, OH, THAT PATIENT
WE FIND OUT, OH, THAT PATIENT WAS INFECTED.
WAS INFECTED. >> THE ENTIRE AT RISK POPULATION
>> THE ENTIRE AT RISK POPULATION TO CATCH THE INFECTION AND
TO CATCH THE INFECTION AND PERISH FROM THIS INFECTION.
PERISH FROM THIS INFECTION. I’M WORKING AND THE SAME CONCERN
I’M WORKING AND THE SAME CONCERN FOR HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS.
FOR HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS. THAT MIGHT SOUND GLOOMY TO MOST.
THAT MIGHT SOUND GLOOMY TO MOST. IT IS GLOOMY, BUT IT IS A FACT,
IT IS GLOOMY, BUT IT IS A FACT, AND WE SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR
AND WE SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR THAT.
THAT. VERY SCARY.
VERY SCARY. >> WE’RE STEPPING UP AND WE’RE
>> WE’RE STEPPING UP AND WE’RE BATTLING THIS VIRUS BUT WE NEED
BATTLING THIS VIRUS BUT WE NEED SUPPORT.
SUPPORT. >> WE NEED THIS EQUIPMENT TO
>> WE NEED THIS EQUIPMENT TO KEEP US SAFE.
KEEP US SAFE. >> THE GREATEST RISK WE FACE
>> THE GREATEST RISK WE FACE RIGHT NOW IS OVERWHELMING OUR
RIGHT NOW IS OVERWHELMING OUR HEALTH CARE RESOURCES.
HEALTH CARE RESOURCES. THAT’S NOT JUST FILLING UP BEDS
THAT’S NOT JUST FILLING UP BEDS AND USING OUR VENTILATORS, IT’S
AND USING OUR VENTILATORS, IT’S KNOCKING OUT OUR WORKFORCE IF
KNOCKING OUT OUR WORKFORCE IF THEY BECOME ILL.
THEY BECOME ILL. >> WE’RE GOING TO COME EVERY DAY
>> WE’RE GOING TO COME EVERY DAY TO WORK AND PUT OUR LIVES ON THE
TO WORK AND PUT OUR LIVES ON THE LINE.
LINE. WE’RE GOING TO DO EVERYTHING WE
WE’RE GOING TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO SAVE YOUR LIFE BUT WE
CAN TO SAVE YOUR LIFE BUT WE NEED YOUR HELP TO MAKE THAT
NEED YOUR HELP TO MAKE THAT POSSIBLE.
POSSIBLE. >> THINGS ARE REALLY DIRE IN
>> THINGS ARE REALLY DIRE IN CERTAIN PARTS OF THE COUNTRY.
CERTAIN PARTS OF THE COUNTRY. ONE PREGNANT NURSE TOLD US WHILE
ONE PREGNANT NURSE TOLD US WHILE SHE HAS NO N95 MASKS, SHE’S BEEN
SHE HAS NO N95 MASKS, SHE’S BEEN TOLD SHE MUST REPORT TO WORK.
TOLD SHE MUST REPORT TO WORK. SHE DIDN’T WANT HER NAME USED
SHE DIDN’T WANT HER NAME USED FOR FEAR SHE WOULD BE FIRED.
FOR FEAR SHE WOULD BE FIRED. HELP IS ON THE WAY, WE JUST HAVE
