The personal protective equipment shortage has improved but still persists. Health care workers in hospitals across Tulsa hospitals continue to be forced to reuse N95 masks that were intended for single use, and never reused until this pandemic began. Many times as I replace the used mask on my face I fret I have accidentally contaminated myself, adding another worry to an already stressful time.

While I understand that sheltering in place indefinitely and shutting down the economy for months is unrealistic, holding a large indoor rally, where people are shoulder-to-shoulder, as described by President Trump’s own campaign team, seems short-sighted at best and reckless and dangerous at worst. It is not a question of whether someone who attends will be infected, but rather how many and how great the toll will be on our community and local hospitals, and how many attendees will carry COVID-19 back to their local communities.