The Run on Chloroquine Is Hurting the People Who Need It
The president’s praise for an unproven drug didn’t make me hopeful. Instead, it has sent my family into a state of panic.
As the seriousness of Covid-19 became undeniable, I told my husband if he continued going into work, he could sleep there. I wasn’t joking. Our teenage daughter has a life-threatening autoimmune disease that makes her high-risk. She and I had already been hunkered down for a week in our Indianapolis home long before we all were.
Several others in my family have autoimmune issues as well, including my dad. He’s 73 and lives alone in the Chicago suburbs. He also has a few other health conditions. Before having surgery for a paralyzed vocal cord seven years ago, each of his labored exhalations produced an audible whistle. His grandchildren affectionately dubbed him Wheezy. Two years ago, a stroke impaired his eyesight, so he now can’t drive. He’d been getting around using ride-sharing services to go to the grocery store and fitness center, where he walked most days with friends. But all of that stopped, of course.
To help my dad prepare to shelter in place, my siblings and I pooled efforts, setting him up on WhatsApp to blunt the loneliness sure to follow, stocking his refrigerator and pantry for a…
