Was the death of 68,000 nursing home staff and residents avoidable?

By Ethan Kim

Canyon High School

A New York Times editorial states that some, if not most, of the 68,000 deaths caused by the coronavirus in nursing homes could have been stopped if proper safety measurements were taken.

The approach taken by nursing home companies is morally wrong because human lives are placed at a less value than financial comfort and stability. The National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL) informed the general public that many health measures that were recommended were not taken advantage of by particular healthcare companies.

I asked my peers what they thought about several nursing homes not going above and beyond for their patients safety. One of my interviewees, Connor Kim wrote, “I think that this is a problem that should have never even been stated, and the fact that we are belittling the virus is really immature with the way we are dealing with it. We should be making more strict rules for working conditions and should make sure that we understand the severity of the situation.”

I completely agree with this statement that the government should recognize the severity of these problems and that stricter regulations should be placed in order to reduce the number of lives lost to the coronavirus. Another peer of mine, Eunice Kim, a junior at Cypress High School, gave her statement as well, “I think it's quite cruel to value money at the expense of selfless individuals that are fighting so the others can live. Personal protective equipment is one of the most crucial devices that a healthcare worker can have. They’re surrounded by an environment that has foreign pathogens, and bodily fluids. The least that they can be guaranteed is their own safety. “

I agree with this statement too and I believe that each and every one of these hardworking, selfless individuals who are doing all that they can in order to help patients with COVID- 19 should at least be guaranteed their own safety. It has been proven that missteps in safety precautions leads to a domino effect of death and despair, so while it may not be ideal for companies to spend their profits on additional materials, it is a necessity.

As it has been repeated in the news, many healthcare and nursing home workers and residents are losing their lives due to lack of proper safety gear. There should be laws implemented which enforce a policy in order to keep the nursing homes safer for everybody. This approach will prepare America and the world for the next inevitable pandemic that strikes.