28 Years Old And Healthy, Doctor Hospitalized With Coronavirus

ACROSS AMERICA — At 28 years old, healthy, active and with no pre-existing condition, Dr. Dave Burkhard was far from finding himself among those most vulnerable to the coronavirus. But that didn't stop the virus from threatening his life.

Burkhard, a resident physician at Spectrum Health in Grand Rapids, Michigan, tested positive for the virus and was later hospitalized with a "horrible shortness of breath and worsening fatigue," he told People Magazine. He was treated with oxygen, steroids, convalescent plasma and the antiviral drug remdesivir.

"It does not just affect the old and frail, it affects all of us, and we are all at risk for getting sick," Burkhard said in a plea made on Facebook for people to take the virus seriously.

As a doctor in the busiest emergency room in western Michigan, he had already been well aware of the worst effects of the virus.

"I have watched family members say goodbye to their loved ones for the last time," he said. "I have watched countless patients helplessly gasp for air."

Now a patient himself, Burkhard says his plea is an attempt to "put things in perspective."

"Think about the families who want to be with their loved ones while they’re sick but can’t," he said. "Think about how silly it sounds to complain about a mask when there are people literally gasping for air."

The Latest

The total number of coronavirus cases reported in the United States in November has surpassed 4 million, more than double the record of 1.9 million cases set in October — and that sharp escalation isn't likely to level out soon.

Tom Inglesby, the director of the Center for Health Security at Johns Hopkins University, told the New York Times the country is on track to see an even steeper rise in cases.

"We are on track to continue this accelerated pace of the epidemic and see even more speed of rise of cases because of the movement indoors, of activities around the country and because large numbers of people have moved around the country for the holidays," Inglesby said.

Hospitalizations are also at a record high. More than 91,000 people in the United States were hospitalized as of Saturday, according to CNN. Until Friday, the country saw 17 consecutive days of record number of hospitalizations due to the virus.

Increased case numbers and hospitalizations continue to spur additional restrictions imposed by governors and mayors throughout the United States. In Los Angeles County, home to 10 million people, new rules have been imposed calling for residents to stay home as much as possible.

A statewide limited stay-at-home order already imposed by California Gov. Gavin Newsom has been met by protests, however. Most recently, about 80 people gathered at the pier in Santa Monica after 10 p.m. Saturday to show their displeasure in the edict.

Meanwhile, a telling number of parents frustrated with lockdowns and upheaval in U.S. public schools are making the decision to pull their kids from school completely.

Though no nationwide data is available, state numbers illustrate the startling trend.

Two and a half months into the school year, Massachusetts found enrollment in public schools was down 37,000, or almost 4 percent, from last year. Enrollment in New York City public schools is down 31,000 students, or 3.2 percent, according to preliminary data obtained by Chalkbeat.

But it will soon be back to school in the nation's largest district.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio on Sunday announced a phased reopening of the city's public schools will begin on Dec. 7. Younger grade levels will return to in-person learning first.

This as the push for a coronavirus vaccine continues to move forward. Moderna Inc., one of the pharmaceutical companies working on its final trials, said Monday that it would ask U.S. and European regulators to allow emergency use the vaccine that early results show the vaccine is more than 94 percent effective, according to The Associated Press.

Newest Numbers

At least 831 new coronavirus deaths and 135,561 new cases had been reported in the United States on Sunday, according to a Washington Post database. Over the past seven days, the United States has averaged more than 161,000 cases each day.

As of Monday, 44 states and Puerto Rico remained above the positive testing rate recommended by the World Health Organization to safely reopen. To safely reopen, the WHO recommends states remain at 5 percent or lower for at least 14 days.

More than 13.5 million people in the United States had tested positive for the coronavirus as of Monday afternoon, and more than 267,600 have died, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.

Stay up to date on the latest coronavirus news via The New York Times or Washington Post.

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