If you could go back in time, what would you tell the first American COVID patient before he boarded the plane from Wuhan?

Published

Specializes in Peds, Med-Surg, Disaster Nsg, Parish Nsg.

"Two years ago this weekend, a 35-year-old man traveling home from Wuhan, China, became the first American diagnosed with COVID-19. What if someone from today could have greeted him BEFORE he got on that plane?"

Read this insightful article by Mitch Albom
https://www.freep.com/story/sports/columnists/mitch-albom/2022/01/16/covid-19-pandemic-wuhan-china-time-travel-what-if/6540489001/

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.

Like Mitch said...there wasn't a single source for the USA's pandemic beginnings.  

2
Up Vote Up Vote ×

yall are so dramatic and funny. 

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.

Probably nothing. If it wasn't that person it would have just been another person. Not necessarily even a US citizen would have brought it in as international travel wasn't restricted until it was way too late. We were already at the point of no return before any travel restrictions were recommended.

7
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

The world is a smaller place and travel is extensive and done by so many.

I don't think I would have anything to see to that person.

The horse got out of the barn after they attempted to shut the door.

It's too late.

 

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Hospice, corrections, psychiatry, rehab, LTC.

It wouldn't have mattered. The disease spread worldwide, and if it hadn't come from China, it would have come from somewhere else.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

If I had the opportunity to talk to this man before he got on the flight, I would tell him to order the kosher meal.  Many people find it tastier regardless of dietary preferences.

As far as Covid is concerned, pretty sure it wouldn't make a difference.

4
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in clinic nurse.

I would tell him that cases were coming from Europe in addition to China, and the virus was likely circulating in December in the US.

2
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Travel, Home Health, Med-Surg.

I think the bigger question is what we should have told our politicians, news media, social media etc at the start of the pandemic and that would be to NOT politicize this pandemic. IMO, the politicization has caused many more problems than was necessary. 

4
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in CRNA, Finally retired.
18 hours ago, Daisy4RN said:

I think the bigger question is what we should have told our politicians, news media, social media etc at the start of the pandemic and that would be to NOT politicize this pandemic. IMO, the politicization has caused many more problems than was necessary. 

Reasonable people were shocked when we watched the so-called Trump briefings and realized that he was going to use this as a re-election cause celeb.  I don't know how we could have changed anything.  There was no shutting this guy or his sycophants up.  All Fauci could do was put his hands over his face while the most egregious lies were being told.  How do you think it could have been stopped?

2
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Travel, Home Health, Med-Surg.
1 hour ago, subee said:

Reasonable people were shocked when we watched the so-called Trump briefings and realized that he was going to use this as a re-election cause celeb.  I don't know how we could have changed anything.  There was no shutting this guy or his sycophants up.  All Fauci could do was put his hands over his face while the most egregious lies were being told.  How do you think it could have been stopped?

Reasonable people were also shocked to see the MSM left wing nonsense attributed to Trump for the years prior to the pandemic that left the public trust of politicians and media in the toilet even before the pandemic started. This along with the continued politization (of both sides!!) of politicians, media, social media, censoring even MDs etc after the pandemic started IMO has significantly erroded the public trust. Being upfront and honest by all the above , allowing people to see what they want (ie not censoring everything) would have not caused the public mistrust which would IMO have lead to more people getting vaccines etc (again, on both sides!!).

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
1 hour ago, Daisy4RN said:

Reasonable people were also shocked to see the MSM left wing nonsense attributed to Trump for the years prior to the pandemic that left the public trust of politicians and media in the toilet even before the pandemic started. This along with the continued politization (of both sides!!) of politicians, media, social media, censoring even MDs etc after the pandemic started IMO has significantly erroded the public trust. Being upfront and honest by all the above , allowing people to see what they want (ie not censoring everything) would have not caused the public mistrust which would IMO have lead to more people getting vaccines etc (again, on both sides!!).

Baloney. 

Trump politicized the pandemic and no gas lighting or projecting about other politics at other times is going to change that fact.  There is no "both sides" to describe how Trump and his followers politicized and confused the covid public health recommendations.  Trump was the biggest spreader of covid misinformation in 2020 before he was banned from social media. 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/tommybeer/2020/10/01/trump-is-single-largest-driver-of-covid-19-misinformation-cornell-study-finds/

Facts matter more than feelings. 

4
Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion