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Emil Guillermo: PODCAST - A Filipino American nurse at Elmhurst Hospital talks about the covid-19 pandemic
Next on Emil Amok’s Takeout:
I talk with Gem Scorp, a registered nurse at Elmhurst Hospital in Queens, who thinks we may have turned a corner in the fight against the pandemic.
He tells me things have calmed down a bit. On a scale of 1-10, 10 being normal, things were at a 2 four weeks ago. They’re now at a 7, he told me. But that just means social distancing and hand washing has worked. He says we’re not quite ready to return to the way things were.
He talks about how being Filipino has helped him and his coworkers; how he’s been threatened on his way home by people who think he’s Chinese; how he has survived symptoms of Covid-19 by using natural remedies; and how he continues to work seven days a week at the hospital, then isolating himself to protect his family at home.
The personal danger is real. Another Filipino nurse, Ali Guillermo, 44, a male RN at Long Island Community Hospital, died in the NY area, according to news reports. Like Scorp, he was trained in the Philippines and immigrated to America to help with the nursing shortage here. The virus has forever marred their American Dream.
Gem Scorp will be a speaker at the virtual conference: “How the Covid-19 Pandemic Affects Filipinos in the U.S.”
Wed., April 15, 3pm ET/12 Noon PT
Register for free: bit.ly/covidaffectsusfilipinos
Emil Guillermo is an independent journalist/commentator. Updates at www.amok.com. Follow Emil on Twitter, and like his Facebook page.
The views expressed in his blog do not necessarily represent AALDEF’s views or policies.
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