Letters to the Editor: An N95 mask might have saved nurse Celia Marcos. Is Trump listening?

To the editor: The death of nurse Celia Marcos, who rushed to resuscitate a COVID-19 patient despite not having ready access to an N95 mask, should not have happened.

Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, we had the opportunity for a nationally managed process to provide protective equipment to all healthcare workers. The president had the power to make this happen, but he let an important opportunity pass him by.

No amount of denial or distraction by the president will change the facts. It was clear these masks were needed. It’s the same situation with testing — remember “anybody that wants a test can get a test”? He speaks in sound bites and does not seek out facts prior to blurting out what he believes serves his personal interests.

Our president cares about the economy, the stock market and getting reelected. Does anyone think he cares about working people?

Sid Pelston, Marina del Rey

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To the editor: I was on many code blue teams in my 35 years as an intensive care unit registered nurse.

The first person to enter the room would put on an N95 mask and gloves, and then begin CPR. As others arrived, they donned full personal protective equipment, and that first nurse in the room was able to leave, wash his or her hands and also put on the required PPE before returning.

In this case, N95 masks were not even readily available to Marcos. Shame on our healthcare facilities for putting workers’ lives at risk, and shame on President Trump for not taking control of the supply line in January when he was told of the coming pandemic.

Suzanne Brugman, La Habra Heights

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To the editor: Reading of nurses dying without appropriate protective gear brings back memories of the Iraq war, where our military sent many of our soldiers over without the right body armor.

As insurgent bombs took a growing number of American lives, there were delays in funding and procurement. Contracts were awarded to vendors that were unable to deliver. When advised they should procure ceramic plating for their Humvees, the Army decided to produce their own steel plates, which were unable to protect our troops against the larger explosive devices.

Be it wildfires, earthquakes or whatever disasters confront us, we seem to quickly forget our administrative failures that made matters worse, leaving us vulnerable time and again. Lives are lost, when they need not be.

Russell Kraus, Rancho Palos Verdes