I remember, in March, those days when the grim reality of COVID set in. Seeing the news out of Italy. The elderly not being able to access care. Allocation of resources. I had so many panic attacks, thinking, "It's going to happen here."

It's happening here now, 4 months later.

NYS made mistakes, but they also didn't have any time. TX, AZ, & FL had months. They had months. The federal government had months. And, still, patients are being denied care after governments spent months *fighting* mask mandates.

These Republicans had time. They had time to prepare hospital systems. And it's not just that they used this time poorly. They used it violently. They downplayed the virus. They created a culture war. They spread misinfo

And now what happened in Italy in March is happening in TX

This did not have to happen. There is no reason, after seeing patients dying by the thousands in Europe, after seeing doctors & nurses break down b/c they couldn't care for everyone, that this should be happening.

And, again, it would be bad enough if officials had just twiddled their thumbs, but that's not all they did. They actively downplayed the virus for *months*. They actively made public health a culture war.

& now hospitals are overflowing in TX, AZ, & FL.