The hospital had planned to send severe cases to Bergamo. “But we got indications that, if patients are over 65 or 70, they won’t get intubated,” said Davide Grataroli, one of the hospital doctors. “So, we’ve chosen to manage them here as best we can.”
That has been the situation for nearly three weeks. The patients know that the lack of intensive-care facilities dooms those not strong enough to survive the disease with limited help. “They accept it with resignation and no complaints,” said Ms. Busi, the nurse.
“The most devastating part is that they are dying alone,” she said. “Families see the patient for the last time at the emergency room. The next time is at the mortuary.”
Such a lonely death is hard to take, the nurse said: “It’s not our culture. We’re very connected here.”
“They are dying alone. Families see the patient for the last time at the emergency room. The next time is at the mortuary.”
An extraordinary @wsj report from Italy, via @MMQWalker and @MarkMaremont https://t.co/pKtEC8M5b8
— Bill Grueskin (@BGrueskin) March 17, 2020