In March 2020 New York City and New Jersey became epicenters of the virus. The density of these places caused the virus to spread throughout communities like wildfire. Hospital staff from executives to doctors, nurses and down to custodial staff were unprepared and ill equipped to deal with the masses requiring urgent and intensive care. Shortages of personal protection equipment (ppe) and ventilators caused doctors and nurses to re-use single-use items and jury rig equipment from whatever supplies they had. These workers, in addition to attending to the sick and the dying, were also tasked the tragic job of family surrogates to the dying, often providing communication between the dying and family members by smartphone. They worked long mostly 12 hour shifts then returned home to isolate themselves from their families so as not to spread the virus. These circumstances caused a huge physical and emotional toll on these individuals. All the while the federal government and their media outlets played down the virus, alternately suggesting it was a hoax and minimizing its severity, eschewing masks and decrying the medical profession’s warnings and suggestions to contain its spread. This piece is in honor of all of the health care workers who worked so tirelessly to combat this inhumanity and to save as many lives as possible against incredible odds.
Lid inscription:
Covid Overwhelmed hospitals on both US coasts spring 2020. Health care workers went where they were sent worked long hours often reusing single use PPE and equipment due to shortages. They isolated from their families & tried to act as links to families & the sick & the dying.
Inner inscription:
United States of America covid 2020 the first wave as of July 20, 2020:
Americans dead of covid: 132,918*
Positive Tests: 3,755,968*
Hospitalizations: 57,247*
Negative tests: 41,978359*
Trump says for first time on the same day it's patriotic to wear a mask**
* https://www.medicaleconomics.com/view/is-your-practice-safe-from-hackers
Imagery inspiration and text on hearts inside:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/world/coronavirus-health-care-workers.html