President Donald Trump has repeatedly talked about “flattening the curve”, the term used to slow down the increase of COVID-19. The Trump administration’s slow response to combat the virus, as well as whether the curve is being flattened, is a discussion for another time. The state of New York is currently the epicenter of the pandemic, with 216,703 COVID-19 confirmed cases, with 11,815 confirmed deaths as of press time.
America’s inability to provide basic protective resources like masks and rubber gloves for nurses, doctors, nurse practitioners, and other medical personnel exacerbates the strains of the pandemic. Medical professionals are forced to use homemade remedies like self-made masks instead of the N95 masks, which are the most effective masks to protect themselves from COVID-19 infections.
Some medical professionals were pressured with suspension or termination for not doing their jobs because they don’t have N95 masks available to adequately do their jobs. Simply put, medical professionals are fighting a war with little ammunition, while their administrators could care less.
Callousness from these administrators are bad enough. The inability for elected leaders to work towards containing the COVID-19 spread is worse. The state of Illinois has 25,733 confirmed COVID-19 cases as of press time, with 1,842 deaths. Chicago philanthropist Dr. Willie Wilson founded Omar Medical Supply, a distributor of medical supplies, in 1997. Why is America not purchasing supplies from Dr. Wilson at a breakneck pace?
A more intriguing question is why is Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker spending $1.7 million of taxpayer money to flights to China to obtain medical supplies? Wouldn’t that money have been better spent purchasing supplies from Dr. Wilson, an entrepreneur located in his own state? Omar Medical Supply could surely provide the protective equipment necessary to American medical professionals and citizens alike to protect themselves from COVID-19 infection. That would be capitalism at its finest, a virtue that’s as American as apple pie.
America has reached the crossroads. COVID-19 cases and deaths are surely to increase within the coming weeks (and possibly months). It’s up to our elected officials to step up and use every resource possible to prevent the further spread of COVID-19. Because it’s a matter of life or death.