American Hero - A Man Of Principle In A Whirlwind Of Pressure
Dr Fauci,
I deeply appreciate what you have been doing for us during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Now, let me offer an idea for easing the burden on our health care industry, front line medics, nurses, doctors, lab techs, first responders and everyone who is responsible for keeping us as safe as possible during this pandemic.
There is not, nor will there be in any realistic near future, any way of providing supplies of masks, gowns and PPEs in general to adequately protect our providers. Traditional medicine has been hands-on by its very nature, and we all benefit from it. But extraordinary circumstances demand extraordinary measures. Perhaps we should make use of all those smart phones, sensors, apps, remote viewing, remote medicine, etc that already gather huge amounts of data on our everyday lives, often without our awareness. Routine testing today is very much a face to face process.
One (or more) health care provider(s) take vital signs, evaluate conditions and make recommendations based on the data they collect via direct contact. But many of our “social media” devices already gather this data in real time. Data about temperature, pressure, heart rate, and the like are available at the click of an app in many cases.
What if we allow our most valuable health resources (doctors, nurses, first responders, etc) access to this data where already available and provide cheap smart devices for those who do not have them already so they can self monitor? In some cases this could be accomplished remotely (via internet) with minimal health care provider involvement. In other more serious situations it could still be done in isolation in a clinic.
I confess, I do not have either the background or knowledge to flesh out this vague recommendation more fully. But I believe it is truly time for us to step away from the traditional and embrace the innovative. This just might relieve some of the physical, psychological and logistical problems we are seeing today and in future outbreaks.
America has found a true leader in you. But even leaders need help. I hope this concept is of value to you, and by extension all of us, going forward.
