A Letter from a Nurse in LA County

Today we have become Italy at their height of the pandemic. LA county has been instructed NOT to transport people with a low likelihood of survival if they have COVID. We have been forced to choose who lives and who dies because we are stretched that thin. And we haven’t even seen whatever post Xmas and New Year will bring.

I am convinced, based on what we have seen in other countries, that this is due to the myriad of misguided selfish people who think this virus is a hoax, who refuse to be compliant about basic, proven infection control procedures (distancing, masking up), who refuse the vaccine based on pretty much no scientific data whatsoever and who support leaders who advocate to “live your life” and who downplay the severity of the worst pandemic since 1918.

I’m done imploring people to do what’s best. We healthcare providers have been asking for months to no avail. I’m done arguing with people who support leadership that doesn’t take this seriously. No data or reasoning will work with you; you are a waste of my limited energy and time.

Understand that we are at the point that you may not be transported to the hospital if you get sick. LA county is on the border of rationing oxygen, another horrible triage step. This is likely to happen beyond my state, especially if we don’t stick with protocols until the vaccine is more prevalent.

I pray for all the poor people who receive a death sentence and for those who have to ration care. It’s a horrible feeling to have to tell people there’s nothing more we can do; I’ve been there many times. It’s an even more horrible feeling to know you’ve lost someone and their death could have been prevented. God help us all through these next few months.

-Steve Lisowski