Different Takes: Lessons From The Past When Everyone Pretended Everything Is Ok; If Not The Health Care Workers, Then Who Else?

Los Angeles Times: Coronavirus: Pretending Everything Is OK Won't Make It So
It’s not so bad. That was the rationale in Barbados in 1647, when British merchants and wealthy planters, seeking to preserve the island colony’s slave trade, shrugged off the threat of the yellow fever epidemic that claimed thousands of lives. Also not so bad a hundred years later in Boston and other colonial seaports, when authorities played down the prevalence of smallpox so their customers overseas would keep welcoming their ships. Not so bad in New York and other cities in the 1830s, when President Andrew Jackson, one of Donald Trump’s White House heroes, repeatedly understated a raging cholera pandemic for fear of spoiling the era’s economic boom. (David Shribman, 5/20)

The New York Times: The Worst Is Yet To Come
For as long as I can remember, I have identified as an optimist. Like a seedling reaching toward the golden sun, I’m innately tuned to seek out the bright side. Of course, in recent years this confidence has grown tougher to maintain. The industry I’ve long covered, technology, has lost its rebel edge, and grown monopolistic and power hungry. The economy at large echoed these trends, leaving all but the wealthiest out in the cold. All the while the entire planet veered toward uninhabitability. (Manjoo, 5/20)

Boston Globe: What We Know — And Don’t — About The New Child Inflammatory Syndrome Linked To Coronavirus
In the initial weeks and months of the coronavirus outbreak, virtually all reports indicated it was sparing children. Pediatric cases accounted for fewer than 2 percent of total cases in the United States, and the majority of children who tested positive were asymptomatic or had mild symptoms. Parents breathed a collective sigh of relief. Then, on April 27 the British National Health Service issued an alert about a multi-system inflammatory disease in children with COVID-19, based on a small number of cases in London and elsewhere. (Sandra L. Fenwick, 5/19)

CNN: Want To Eat Or Shop At Disney? Say You Won't Sue.
It's the latest Disney experience: waivers of Covid-19 liability for one and all! The novel coronavirus "is an extremely contagious disease that can lead to severe illness and death," Disney, while also reassuring that they have adopted "enhanced health and safety measures" now warns its potential customers: "By visiting Walt Disney World Resort, you voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure." A phased reopening of the shopping and dining area at Disney World is scheduled to begin May 20 and continue May 27. (Elie Honig, 5/18)

The Hill: COVID-19 Policies Place Liberty In Peril 
As COVID-19 spreads around the globe, people are understandably alarmed and governments have responded by imposing draconian restrictions, mandating business closures and requiring people to remain at home. Despite the economic costs, mandates are widely supported by citizens who are justifiably afraid of the spreading virus. Some governments have imposed less-draconian measures. In Sweden, the government recommends social distancing, but schools, stores, and restaurants remain open, and nobody is required to quarantine. As the pandemic continues, Sweden’s policies come closer to “business as usual” than in other nations. (Randall G. Holcombe, 5/19)

Stat: Lessons From The Military For Covid-19 Health Care Workers 
“If not me, then who?” That was the answer Marine Corps First Lieutenant Travis Manion gave when asked why he decided to serve in the military. He was killed by a sniper in 2007 while serving in Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Thirteen years later, Manion’s words resonate with a new group of fighters: health care workers. (Zachary Johannesson, Gregory Galeazzi and Samuel Lyon, 5/20)

Modern Healthcare: Hospital Chaplains' Role Evolves During COVID-19 Pandemic
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, our doctors, nurses and other caregivers are rightfully getting plenty of exposure for their heroism and tireless courage in the fight against the disease. But one group that hasn't been in the discussion is hospital chaplains, who often spend nearly as much time with patients and families in crisis as clinicians. (Melinda Plumley, 5/19)

The Wall Street Journal: It’s Deadly To Fear The Emergency Room 
When my hospital discharged its 1,000th Covid-19 patient, it was cause for celebration—a testament to the great work done by selfless health-care workers during this difficult time. Yet that same day, I walked around our emergency room and noticed that it had only about half the volume of patients we normally see on a Thursday. Where did all our patients go? It is a question shared by many emergency departments in New York City. At Lenox Hill we’ve seen the number of patients complaining of chest pain drop by nearly a quarter, as well as a 39% decrease in patients diagnosed with an acute stroke. Sadly this doesn’t mean New Yorkers are getting healthier. (Yves Duroseau, 5/19)

The Washington Post: The Surprising Intimacy Of Online Therapy Sessions During The Pandemic 
If you had asked me what I thought of online therapy sessions before the coronavirus pandemic, I would have said, trying my best not to sound dismissive, “Well, I’m sure they can be helpful in certain ways — but I wouldn’t call them therapy.” ...But then came covid-19, and with shelter-at-home orders in place, I had no choice but to do remote sessions. I was glad I’d still be able to help to my patients, but I was skeptical that these sessions could go beyond crisis management. (Lori Gottlieb, 5/18)

CNN: Support The Newest Warriors: Those On The Frontlines Of The Covid-19 Pandemic 
Suffering from anxiety attacks, sleepless nights and surges of irritability, people around the world are experiencing the same emotional trauma that military veterans have felt for decades. This is especially the case for our frontline healthcare workers, and those who support them. Those who serve in our healthcare system are the tip of the spear in the battle against the novel coronavirus. (Shauna Springer, 5/19)

Bangor Daily News: COVID-19 Shows Mass Incarceration Is A Disaster For Maine’s Most Vulnerable
From screen time to food scarcity and health care access, parents and families are dealing with all sorts of hardships in the pandemic. For many incarcerated mothers, these challenges, including social isolation and severed community connections, were already a daily reality. The stress and anxiety of parenting from behind bars is now compounded by the threat of COVID’s spread in prison. (Erica King, 5/19)

The Hill: Use The COVID-19 Crisis To Fix The Water Crisis 
America’s tap water is an essential part of the nation’s health infrastructure. Although delivery of that water is now under stress because of the coronavirus crisis, it also presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to significantly improve our drinking water. Especially now, every home must have access to water. The uninterrupted delivery of water facilitates the frequent handwashing required to protect against even wider COVID-19 contamination and allows a homebound nation to prepare meals and keep dwellings clean. (Seth M. Siegel, 5/18)