Coronavirus: Missed chance for hospitals to inspire confidence

Re: “Hospitals unite to fight climate change disaster,” (TNT op-ed, 3/8).

The first half of this headline, “Hospitals unite to fight,” gave me hope that our local health care systems would provide reassurance that they are united and prepared to handle the COVID-19 outbreak: having enough test kits, hospital beds, mechanical ventilators, protective gear, etc., available.

Imagine my surprise when I read the second line and found out the topic these two healthcare executives were writing about was climate change!

As important and well-intended is the climate issue, the timing amid a health crisis does little to instill confidence to the public.

Meetings and articles about climate change do little to reassure the doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers facing the virus that those in charge are now fully focused on keeping the virus at bay and providing temporary help and protection for overworked staffs.

This was the time to inspire confidence that they are up to the tasks. Bad timing, missed opportunity.

This story was originally published March 12, 2020 at 3:13 PM with the headline "Coronavirus: Missed chance for hospitals to inspire confidence."