A pediatrician friend told me last night that getting masks – like simple, basic masks, continues to be a challenge. I guess their regular vendors are still stymied by the messed up supply chain: states outbidding each other, the government seizing shipments and redirecting to FEMA, and such. My insider scoop is that China won’t even deal with the United States anymore, so one hospital association is working with a crafty Chinese importer who ships his goods to South Korea, from which we can more reliably import everything to the United States. This is all PPE, btw. The stuff that protects front line workers. This is ‘merica. Unbelievable.
Anyway, the pediatrician’s practice could not locate masks this week as the office supply dwindled. She heard a rumor that Bartell Drugs received a large shipment from overseas and immediately followed up. Success! She bought boxes and boxes of cheap masks at our local drug store. AT A TENFOLD MARKUP.
Today, I unloaded the dishwasher three times. Eighteen meals eaten in this house. Plus snacks. #newnormal
Oh, and I can’t go to bed without saying that the president announced today that he’s been taking hydroxychloroquine for nearly two weeks, despite the FDA’s warning that the drug “has not been shown to be safe and effective for treating or preventing COVID-19” and could cause heart rhythm problems. He also called an NIH-funded study at a VA hospital “phony” – presumably because it concluded no benefit in using the drug to treat COVID-19. But nobody cares. Just another dose of disinformation. Whatever.
diary of coronavirus 