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To the editor:

I know the COVID-19 pandemic is very serious; however, it appears to me that most other emergency care is being ignored by health facilities.

My youngest daughter was admitted to the local urgent care facility with possible stroke conditions after having some dental work performed. First of all, we had to drop her off outside the facility in North Suffolk and because of COVID-19, no family members were allowed to go in with her. My daughter has bad anxiety, and that along with her stroke symptoms left her alone and basically unable to communicate with the medical staff. My wife did her best to communicate with the medical staff by her cell phone.

As a result of my daughter’s condition, she was transferred to another local hospital for additional treatment and a stay in the hospital. Communication with the medical staff has been very hard and also through cell phone. It is extremely difficult to get the doctors or nurses to call back. One of them actually lectured us that there is pandemic out there, insinuating that has priority over all other emergent care issues.

As we all know, for strokes, it is important that immediate treatment be evaluated and performed as soon as possible after the event. The hospital staff indicated that due to COVID-19, a neurologist was not able to come in until Monday. It took my wife urging the hospital staff for a neurologist to be brought in on Saturday to evaluate and treat my daughter.

I think the hospital administration should re-evaluate their direction that only the patient be allowed into the hospital. With proper personal protective equipment, a family member can be allowed in to provide communication with the medical staff and to provide comfort to their family member being treated. Additionally, the hospital administration should stop ignoring other emergent care issues.

Leo Pietila

Suffolk