OPINION: Sending people home from the hospital increases the spread. We need another solution.
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Richard David is a Democratic district leader and a candidate for Assembly District 31. Photo courtesy of David’s campaign
By Richard David
In the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak, New Yorkers who are suspected or confirmed to be positive are either hospitalized in the most life threatening cases or sent home to quarantine. By sending sick individuals home from the hospital, we are increasing the spread and the progression of the virus.
We need another option immediately.
Yadav, a woman living in Jamaica, Queens, had a severe fever, body aches and lost her ability to taste. She displayed many of the signs of having the virus but was sent back home from the hospital, unable to get a test. She is 65.
Now her household is displaying the same symptoms. Although she self-quarantined, the four member family share a one bedroom apartment with one bathroom. The family does not have personal protective equipment, or PPE, necessary to serve Yadav food, sanitize dishes and fully separate her from the rest of the household. It was inevitable that everyone in her household would get sick. This is a common experience with families like Yadav’s in single family homes, and multi-story apartment buildings including NYCHA housing.
In many of these cases where a presumed positive individual is sent back home, the infected family member is living in small living quarters, often with one bathroom and without proper PPE to quarantine and protect other members of the household. They also happen to be working-class families of color.
According to the New York Times, “the increases in flu-related emergency visits varied widely by neighborhood, with many of the surges occurring among residents of neighborhoods where the household income is less than the city median of $60,000.”
It is also one of the potential reasons why Queens has been so hard-hit. The “World’s Borough” is home to many residents living in households below the city median who commonly live in extended households, with a significant senior population.
New York City should triage individuals who are suspected of having the virus before they leave the hospital, even if they were unable to get tested. If they are living in conditions where it is unrealistic to fully quarantine without infecting others, especially others who are high risk, they should be offered alternative care. Housing these individuals at hotels might be an option with in-built kitchens and a light deployment of nurses. We must also provide these families with PPE equipment so they can care for each other without causing infections in the family and in their communities.
We cannot proceed with a one-size fits all approach. It is endangering more lives, more communities. Our approach has to become more sophisticated, and more nuanced to reflect the range of populations, cultures and incomes that call our great City home.
Richard David is a Democratic district leader and a candidate for Assembly District 31
