This is June Diane Raphael, who you might recognize from Netflix's Grace and Frankie, as well as her appearances in TV comedies like New Girl, Parks and Rec, and Big Mouth.
Yesterday, Raphael tweeted out a text message she received from her best friend, a doctor currently fighting on the COVID front lines. That doctor's message is now going viral, and it's a must-read for anyone who doesn't think they need to wear a mask or practice social distancing in the COVID era.
This is the text I just received after asking my best friend ( pulmonary and critical care doctor) how she was doing. #WearAMask #SocialDistance
"Tomorrow will be my 10th day working straight," the doctor, identified only as Kate, wrote in her text. "We are completely surging. I am carrying more and sicker patients than ever in my career...I expect at least half of them to die but probably not for 1-3 weeks (which they will spend alone in the hospital)."
"I have to call their families and update them daily," she continued. "I sobbed on the phone with one mom who I have to update about her daughter who will likely die."
"We are overflowing our units. We are short staffed. We are physically, emotionally, and mentally exhausted."
And the doctor went on to say that there is "such a disconnect between the hospital and the surrounding communities," where people don't seem to be taking the pandemic seriously at all.
"People here aren't wearing masks, they are having Sunday family dinners, going to church, planning for Thanksgiving...I drive home stunned through a college town with lines out the doors for local bars," she wrote.
And she concluded her message by reminding people what's at stake if they refuse to put on a mask or stay home:
People complain about their personal freedoms being limited and the mental effects of social distancing and wearing a mask...but give no respect to others' right to live and give no thought to the mental effects of accidentally infecting and killing grandma or the trauma they are imposing on their healthcare workers. This is devastating.
People on Twitter are now sharing the doctor's text message far and wide, with one user noting that "every 'no-masker' should read this":
@MsJuneDiane Every "no-masker" should read this. Thank you for posting, June. Very few think of the toll COVID19 has on doctors, nurses, and ALL hospital workers. Patriots? You'll do anything for the country you love but a mask is too much? *face plant*
Fellow healthcare workers are chiming in to the discussion to talk about the toll this pandemic has taken on them:
@MsJuneDiane @GabiMccauley We healthcare workers are burnt out, emotionally & physically spent. In 25 years, I’ve never felt so disrespected or disillusioned. I too live in a college town; these kids will be going home this week all around the state, but at least still warm here so not inside
@MsJuneDiane As a hospice social worker in a major medical system, its terrifying how everyone just thinks this is nothing. Health care workers are experiencing real trauma and expected to do it day after day..
And people from other countries are explaining how masks, social distancing, and nationwide lockdowns have helped them return to normalcy, while America remains in a state of crisis:
@MsJuneDiane I’m from New Zealand. We went into lock down for 7 weeks after like 10 people had the virus. And we are back to normal life since may, including concerts and live sports. If other country’s took this seriously straight away so many lives could have been saved
You can read the full text message in June Diane Raphael's tweet below:
This is the text I just received after asking my best friend ( pulmonary and critical care doctor) how she was doing. #WearAMask #SocialDistance