“I Don’t Think Restaurants Could Be Safe Now,” Top NY Doctor Who Led Response at Hot Spot Hospital
Thursday, July 02, 2020
Dr. Alan Roth, who helped lead the response to the coronavirus breakout in New York, said that the governmental response was poor in New York, that the country is facing a public health emergency that may have implications for years, and gave warnings about contamination at indoor restaurant dining.
Roth joined Dr. Michael Fine, the former Rhode Island Director of Health, on GoLocal LIVE on Wednesday. Roth, who is the Chairman of Family Medicine and Ambulatory Care at Jamaica Hospital, was at the forefront of the response at New York hospital.
“I think it is simple, we need a national policy across the country where the regulations are similar that policies are followed for social distancing wearing a mask and keeping crowd control,” said Roth.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST“I don't think restaurants could be safe right now...you can't just take your mask off and eat for indoor dining I can't see someone six feet away from me eating dinner and sneezing and coughing," said Roth. "We know that it will be transmitted through the ventilation systems, and until either the virus is controlled and there's a vaccine...I’m not sure indoor dining will be okay. I'm not sure anywhere you need to take a mask off in close proximity is going to be safe perhaps for years.”
Roth had previously shared the story of his hospital’s horror with GoLocal during the breakout on March 25.
Never in my life could I have imagined what we are all going through, people are dying, residents and faculty are getting very sick and fortunately so far no deaths of staff, yet..........
No one is helping us, lack of PPE, lack of being able to isolate is what made many sick early,
Our country and healthcare system have failed NY, we are on our own
I have been working 20 hour days and need to keep the face of strength or my department will collapse
I have not had a day off in a month
Roth had originally sent the email to Fine.
Roth further warns that the fear of the virus is creating other significant health issues — the lack of treatment for existing illness, patients not seeking care due to fear of contamination and failure of parents to get vaccines for their children.
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