What We’re Reading: 04/03/20

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Continuing to lead with news around COVID-19. Here are a few highlights from the week that we recommend you check out and follow—

Daily COVID-19 Updates from Dr. Craig Smith, Chair of the Department of Surgery

We’re posting one from us again this week—Every evening we share Dr. Smith’s daily COVID-19 memos with the public. Look no further to stay up to date on the coronavirus crisis in NYC.

What if I Need to Go on a Ventilator? 

Respiratory failure and how it is managed are not exactly discussed widely every day, and with so many unknowns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, fear around treatment can easily take hold. This article does a great job answering all the pressing questions about treatment in the ICU—from what COVID-19 does to the lungs to what happens if you’re put on a respirator and the scenarios that may follow. Some very important information right from a critical care physician. (From nytimes.com)

How South Korea Solved Its Face Mask Shortage

News and recommendations have teetered on the issue of wearing masks in public during COVID-19. Some of that confusion was to preserve a dwindling mask supply for our health workers on the frontlines. But now we have reached the point where face coverings are recommended for everyone in New York City when in public. To gain some perspective, take a step into the mask crisis from a different angle and read about how South Korea solved the problem in several weeks’ time. (From nytimes.com)

Now for some related yet unrelated reading to inject a bit of texture into a few moments of your day.

The Waste Land 

Dr. Craig Smith referenced TS Eliot’s poem in an update this week. It’s equal parts blistering and illuminating as Eliot uses multiple perspectives to reflect on the aftermath of World War I.  Somehow The Waste Land manages to take on new significance in every era with every read. Give it a go, discuss the work with friends. (From poetryfoundation.org)

Love Letter

A beautiful short story by George Saunders in which a man explains to his grandson all the ways America has changed in his lifetime. Morphing into an autocracy. It’s both a delight to read and a canary in the coal mine. “I beg you not to underestimate the power/danger of this moment,” he says.  (From newyorker.com)

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