Indian+J+Med+Ethics 2020 ; V (2): 95-98 Nephropedia Template TP
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Covid-19: A view from New York #MMPMID32393451
Macklin R
Indian J Med Ethics 2020[Apr]; V (2): 95-98 PMID32393451show ga
I live in New York City, identified as the epicenter of the Covid-19 pandemic. My view differs from that of many of the millions living in this large metropolitan area who are poor. I am not rich, but I am privileged: I have a retirement income for which I have saved all my working life and I have no debts. I am isolated in my apartment having food delivered. But what if I require hospitalization, from Covid-19 or another medical condition? New York State has guidelines for allocation of scarce ventilators in times of scarcity. The guidelines reject advanced age as a criterion for triage because it discriminates against the elderly. Other proposals contend that priority should be given to those who have not yet ;lived a full life. Allocation guidelines set a priority on saving the most lives, but hard choices remain within that broadly defined goal. Key words: Covid-19 pandemic, New York epicenter, resource allocation, age-based selection, shortage of ventilators, triage committee.