WUE·USA| Bottled Up, Still Breathing（2）【Article+Video】

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Before any human being can move to Mars, we are all on the same planet. Regardless of nationalities, race, religion or time zone, we are citizens of the earth. At WUE-WeUnitedEarth, we are here to connect, support, and care for one another.

The Editor's Notes

By May 1, the confirmed cases of the COVID-19 around the globe have reached over 3,230,000. In the United States, there have been more than 1,070,000 confirmed cases.

In the last week (April 23), Robert Redfield, director of CDC, warned in an interview with Washington Post that: there might be a second wave of coronavirus pandemic this winter, which might be coincide with flu, and the difficulties might be more serious for the United States. It means that coronavirus might become a seasonal virus.

Atlanta, the city where CDC is located, for its location in the southeast of the United States, has become warmer and gone into late spring. By April 28, the confirmed cases in Georgia, where Atlanta is located, have reached 26,237， including 1，131 deaths.

Robin is an Asian-American youth born in the United States, mainly living in Atlanta and New Jersey. Invited by We-UnitedEarth, he started to record “the life under the epidemic in the United States” from early March. In early April, Robin had an experience of “a late-night check in the emergency room” for some “coronavirus-like” symptoms. Then, after his lifting of home quarantine, he drove from Atlanta to New Jersey to stay with his family.

In his observations and records, we can learn about the epidemic prevention and control in the city where CDC is located in the United States, the reception of emergency rooms in hospitals, and the views of ordinary American Generation Z and Millennials on the epidemic prevention policies under the "American Melting Pot". Robin is also a conceptual citizen of the earth, and we would like to share with you his "experience in a late-night emergency room."

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Today WUE wants to share with you a “U.S Coronavirus Journal,” but before the article, let’s first check into the video taken by the author, Robin Yang from New Jersey. In the above video, he focuses on how the U.S medical system is dealing with COVID-19 patients during the initial testing period, the process to go through, from waiting in the emergency room (ER) to receiving the testing, and how much that will cost people.

Here is the story from Robin Yang. He writes in English, and therefore for the convenience of our Chinese readers, WUE has published the translated Chinese version in the first post for today and the original English version in the next one, in case you may want to check that out. For more reading from the first “U.S Coronavirus Journal” by Robin Yang, please click this link【WUE·Atlanta | Dog Day of Atlanta（1）】.

Quarantine life during the pandemic. Photo From：ROBIN YANG

Thirteen days into my home quarantine, in hot and humid Atlanta, I sadly ate the final spicy sausage that I had saved from my last grocery store run. While my roommate and I stayed indoors as per CDC suggestion, it surprised us to hear and see the foot traffic and cars zoom by at a seemingly increased rate. I start to wonder while some masks worn out in public are met with strange gazes and ignore the social distance suggestion, and others have submitted to preemptive isolation from their own families.

ATL mayor works to enforce social distancing. Photo From：ROBIN YANG

As expected in the “Great American melting pot”, you will obviously get your fair share of diverse thought in the form of non-believers, conspiracy theorists, political combatants, etc. As everyone is entitled to formulate their own opinion, I feel just as strongly about my own.

Let’s talk about it.

My opinion about this outbreak is mainly informed by my visit to the Emory University Hospital Emergency Room thirteen days ago. As mentioned from my last article【WUE·Atlanta | Dog Day of Atlanta（1）】, since I graduated from Emory University and it is a very prestige in medical field, it is natural that I visited Emory University Hospital ER when I felt ill.

After I'm aware of the symptoms, my healthcare provider adviced me to go in to the ER for a check with a mask and gloves. Photo From：ROBIN YANG

As I live near the Center for Disease Control, I think about and often check their website for daily updates and information about COVID-19. Aware of the symptoms, I was startled to feel shortness of breath and numbness in my extremities; quickly after I called my healthcare provider to check my symptoms.

It was determined that I should go in to the ER, after checking the near-by Emory University hospital for capacity and after putting on a mask and gloves.

Scene in the emergency room. Photo From：ROBIN YANG

That was 10 PM on March 30th，I arrived the Emergency Room of Emory University hospital. To my surprise, there were very few people in the hospital waiting room; three total persons waiting to be checked on including me. I was then taken to the Negative Pressure Room to prepare my exam. It was the first time that I have heard this name. I later learned that negative pressure room is a special design room that can prevent airborne bacteria and virus to spread to other rooms by lowering room pressure than outside, and hence stop airborne particles to spread. For example, when you cough, even with door is not fully closed, the airborne particles won’t spread out of the negative pressure room. It is a standard usage for any airborne disease per WHO. To be honest, I was kind of nervous at this point.

I was greeted in the negative pressure room with solemn but optimistic “Hello”s from the two nice women sitting on opposite corners of the room. And that is how my ER experience started.

I was called in very quickly to be checked up by a doctor and was on my way. The Video Remote Interpreting device rolled in with the face of my ER doctor brandished on the portable screen, as he was working from a safer location.

The assisting attendee two meters away and in full PPE calmly did some initial tests, and my ‘cyborgian doctor ’（Pardon me for calling him like this）used his wireless spirometer to analyze my breathing. As amazing as it was to see the precautions taken to make sure all involved parties were safe, it also showed me the financial barriers of resources (unavailable to most hospitals) that were needed to be safe.

Current day, all across the country, we are hearing the different states like Michigan, Florida, and New York take drastic independent actions to gather and utilize PPE equipment. Almost to a fault.

New York State Governor Como announced to increase hospital capacity. Photo From：ROBIN YANG

Governor Cuomo recently admitted, “This is not the way to do it, this is ad hoc, I’m competing with other states, I’m bidding up other states on the prices.” Shouldn’t we be working together, not competing?

I was brought into another room.

They X-rayed my chest and put some stickers on my nipples. As someone fortunate enough to have never gone to the ER before, it was the first time I have experienced it. I should have been impressed by the procedures and beeping machines around me.

But my sparkling fascination stayed on the radiologist’s cleaning abilities. Wearing a pair of disinfection gloves and holding a disinfection towel, she cleaned the machine with intentionality and procedure, which reminded me of the movie Edward Scissorhands. She masterfully wiped down every surface and crevice of the x-ray machine, all while talking about my alma mater and COVID-19 facts in America. She is exactly the Dr. Edward Lysol-Hands.

How the Doctor was cleaning and disinfecting as if her hands were made out of Lysol (disinfectant) wipes. Photo From：Internet

Guess what. The disinfectant she used was Lysol, which President Donald Trump once suggested Americans to inject as a coronavirus remedy. What a crazy time!

“You know, even though this virus is extremely contagious, we are fortunate that it is relatively easy to kill outside the body. So do more disinfection is helpful.” Dr. Edward Lysol-Hands said, while completing the choreography of complete sanitation.

The minute detail of the radiologist’s cleaning combined with the limited e-medicine technology, reminded me of how American’s are trying their best to cope with home-remedies:

A recently popular “water-jug” mask has made marks in the zeitgeist of public acceptance.

In some countries, residents use buckets as masks. Photo From：Internet

Another popular option seen on the internet, sarcastically labelled as “genius.” Hopefully, the sarcasm translated.

A protective mask made with a lid Photo From：Instagram @lilknockstar

John Mulaney (He is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer and producer. He is best known for his work as a writer on Saturday Night Live) describes it best, that President Trump at worst is a “wild horse loose in a hospital”. No evil intent from Trump, but rather a greater need of assistance and coordination from us, the people.

American stand-up comedian John Mulaney Photo From：Netflix Is A Joke

But I’m rambling…

Gladly my tests came back with good news, and I waited for a decision. The digital ER doctor gave me a phone call suggesting that self-isolate and monitor my symptoms, and prescribed hydration and sleep to me.

As I was not coughing and had no fever, not meeting the standards of testing, I was not given a test at that time. So I left the ER soon after that, as there were not enough symptoms to justify using their limited supply of COVID-19 tests. I exited through the negative pressure room, and unfortunately, one of my fellow waiting room members had been admitted for assistance with breathing. I hope she is doing better now.

On the way out of the room, from the lone waiting room member, I heard a “Feel better! Have a good day!”

Look, even in a pandemic you can’t get rid of Southern hospitality.

On that day, Georgia had about 500 reported cases state-wide, the hospitals around my area having similar capacity as what I saw during my visit. But currently (4/13) Georgia has about 13,000 cases, testing becoming increasingly limited as days pass. There are also increased deaths and hospitalizations labelled as “influenza” and “pneumonia” which may have dampened the current numbers.

Number of confirmed cases in Georgia, where Atlanta is located Photo From：ROBIN YANG

My heart goes out to those being affected right now, as I can still picture the dark, negative-pressure room, only now filled with more people, more uncertainty. The only consistency, I’m sure, being the kind greetings and well-wishes that I saw.

Having been quarantining for two weeks, my symptoms have been gone for about 8 days, I believe I am good but I still unknowing of what afflicted me. But out of this whole experience, there is a lot to learn about how people, states, and companies are handling this pandemic.

Mask on or mask off, we must remember to just be ourselves. Photo From：ROBIN YANG

But the main point of focus for me, wading through the “bad” and “different” during this pandemic, it is the humanity that we have to keep; just like that “Feel Better, I wish you well” in the ER. Because, mask on or mask off, we must remember to just be ourselves.

——END——

Robin Yang (in the middle of the picture) was born in New Jersey, USA, and currently lives in Atlanta. Engaged in the field of marketing, the person in charge of promotion of public welfare organizations, and a Vlogger. This is a photo of Robin and NGMW ——a public welfare organization team partners.

The article only represents the author's personal views. For more information, please refer to the previous articles of WUE2020 Campaign.

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