Thousands have signed an urgent petition to Governor Andrew Cuomo to allow a family member in the hospital room of a patient with Coronavirus. Please support the petition and all those you care about.
By Anash.org reporter
Because of the contagious nature of Covid-19, hospitals are completely quarantining patients, not allowing even one family member in. A petition to Governor Andrew Cuomo has been started, to allow a family member in the hospital room of a patient.
When the patients enter the hospital, they are already in a very weak and vulnerable state. If there is no one with them, who will speak up for them? What if the patient is trying to get the nurse’s attention but can’t? What if they are too weak to say what they need, and the doctor does not notice them?
It has been proven that patients recuperate faster when a loved one is nearby. It is very frightening to be all alone, and their emotional state may drop from being so isolated. Having a family member nearby can help boost their morale, and ultimately their recovery.
Significantly, the family member was already exposed to whatever the patient has. If the nurses or doctors are worried about its contagious nature, the one member chosen to stay can cover up in all the gear necessary so he or she wont be exposing others as he or she is coming or leaving the hospital.
On the other hand, with hospital staff already stretched past their limits, having visitors will likely be a further strain on them. They will also not necessarily be able to monitor whether guests are adequately protected, or provide them with the masks and apparel that staff require and are in short supply of.
Yet, for patients with family members as advocates, hospital staff will naturally be extra careful and make fewer mistakes, which are more likely to happen with overloaded hospitals and overworked staff.
The above arguments need serious weighing. Bringing them to the attention of Governor Cuomo is the first step.
In light of this, please consider signing the petition so patients suffering from covid-19 can have at least one loved one at their side at this most crucial and hard time.