Kevin Cramer’s putting his head in the sand. But, here’s what he refuses to talk about or address:
Because the spread of COVID-19 has gone rampant in North Dakota, it’s put a massive strain on the state’s hospitals. Right now there are just 12 intensive care beds in the entire state, including for North Dakotans with non-COVID emergency health issues, according to news reports.
Just read this story about a mother in Bismarck rushing her son to the emergency room as he could barely breathe with a non-COVID health emergency. He was initially turned away because there were not any beds available for her son.
Imagine rushing your child or elderly parent to the emergency room because of a severe illness or heart attack, waiting for extending periods, only to be turned away.
The Fargo Forum reported that hospitalizations as a result of COVID-19 recently reached records in the state, and health professionals say patients with COVID-19 often require more attention from staff than the average patient.
But where’s Kevin Cramer? He’s silent on the impact COVID-19 is having on hospitals, health care workers, and patients across North Dakota – for those with COVID-19 and those with other serious health emergencies.
Instead, he’s playing politics and spreading bad information.
Cramer said voters “should stop being so afraid” of COVID-19 as hospitalizations and death rates from it skyrocketed. He then falsely suggested the COVID-19 death toll may be inflated.
On top of that, it was reported that earlier this year President Trump said he purposely downplayed the thread of “deadly” COVID-19. When asked about Trump’s deceitful and harmful comments, Cramer said, “It doesn’t bother me.”
Even the Trump administration’s coronavirus response coordinator, Dr. Deborah Birx, blasted North Dakota for its willingness to look the other way in its response to COVID-19, and the impact on hospitals and other patients.
According to the Forum, “Birx said…the rate of infection in North Dakota could get even worse, which in turn, would drive up COVID-19 deaths and hospitalizations.”
Cramer doesn’t care about North Dakota’s hospitals, health care workers, or patients when it’s inconvenient for him – and apparently that’s even during a pandemic when both are under serious stress.
Once again, Kevin Cramer is putting himself before our state. North Dakotans just can’t trust Kevin Cramer.