Donald Trump and Senator Thom Tillis Screwed Us Over With Their Poor Response To The Coronavirus Outbreak

I never thought we’d be in this position. I feel like, as an American, I almost had this false sense of security that things could never get this bad. Trump turned his nose at science and refused to let the facts guide him in his decisions. February was like a lost month while his administration sat on their hands and did nothing but downplay the coronavirus. Now, tens of thousands are dead, and some of those lives could have been saved.

2/10 “Now, the virus that we’re talking about having to do — you know, a lot of people think that goes away in April with the heat” 2/26 “within a couple days is going to be down close to zero” 2/26 “We’re going very substantially down, not up. … We have it so well under control. I mean, we really have done a very good job” 2/26 “It’s a little like the regular flu that we have flu shots for. And we’ll essentially have a flu shot for this in a fairly quick manner” 2/27 “It’s going to disappear one day, like a miracle” 3/6 “Anybody that wants a test can get a test. … The tests are all perfect” 3/24 “I think Easter Sunday — you’ll have packed churches all over our country” 3/27 “You call it a germ, you can call it a flu. You can call it a virus. You can call it many different names. I’m not sure anybody knows what it is.”

• Donald Trump

I’m so frustrated at the misinformation, gaslighting and attacks on reporters too. At the end of the day, not enough was done and we are left with a mess. One of the big blunders is the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) and other healthcare necessities. Our Senator in North Carolina, Thom Tillis, has not pushed the Trump administration to send North Carolina more PPE. The state says it has enough PPE currently – but not enough in reserve to reopen. “The state has more than 100 days worth of gloves, more than 60 days worth of surgical masks and more than 35 days worth of face shields. “But the gowns and N-95 masks are very hard to get, and we have less than a week’s supply of those,” [Emergency Management Director Mike Sprayberry] said at the briefing.”

The process of states getting PPE and respirators is a complete disaster. Just like Governor Cuomo said in New York, it is like eBay with them bidding on getting equipment for their state. Then you even have the Trump administration coming in and scooping  up ventilators states have already secured. What’s more troubling, is that governors are feeling like they have to be on Trump’s good side so their states can be the one to get PPE and ventilators from the federal government. I FEEL LIKE I’M IN THE TWILIGHT ZONE! Like, how is this ok?

Frontline workers deserve so much better. They are literally keeping us from sinking and they don’t even have the proper protection. I really wish our government would be transparent in regards to how much PPE and other supplies, like ventilators, there actually are available. Trump has suggested we use one ventilator for two patients and it’s just sad that it could come to that.

And in the midst of all of this tragedy, he talks about ratings?

And then…

Then why do you keep talking about it?! I think back to my time in ICU after my spinal cord injury and I think about all the people who are getting injuries like this having to go into the hospitals. It’s devastating to think I would’ve been possibly treated in the hallways or waited hours to be seen, and without nurses having the proper equipment to treat me? I was given a respirator — what if that wasn’t available? Also, my heart goes out to the EMTs who have to experience all of this as well. I got very close to the two EMTs that saved my life that night by the pool. One of them even quit after my call because she was so upset by it and just couldn’t handle it anymore after 30 years of doing this. I think about all of my doctors and how there has just been news that a top ER doctor in New York City has committed suicide. PTSD is going to be a real thing from all of this mess and while it may have not been completely prevented, acting sooner would’ve saved so much heartache.

I really want to hear from all of you. Are you a healthcare worker or know someone who is? Do you have a personal story to share in relation to the coronavirus? Join me in raising our voices, sharing our stories, and demanding that Trump and Senator Tillis defend North Carolina’s healthcare and economic needs. Click here to share your story. Our healthcare and economic needs are both important and both of them need attention. We just have to do it safely. If there has ever been a time to come together, it is now.