You wake up one morning with shortness of breath, unbelievable fatigue, a fever and a cough that won't quit. You head to the hospital and you get tested. You're positive for the coronavirus.
You spend days, weeks, in the hospital. You're put on a ventilator. Friends and family can't be there for you. You're alone in the hospital, struggling to breathe. You might need a tracheotomy to make it easier for air to enter your lungs.
But you survive. Your symptoms start to fade and your breathing improves. Soon you're breathing on your own. The fevers gone and you feel stronger. You're released from the hospital.
You return home. You've lost your job, or your job is suspended. You have little to no income. Family and friends are wary to be anywhere near you because you had the coronavirus. People are treating you like you could affect them with even the slightest glance.
The stigma of being a coronavirus survivor is bad enough, but then you get your medical bill. You thought your insurance was good, but it's nowhere near enough to cover your bill. You're unsure of your economic future, as you're out of the job and have to pay these bills back. The $1,200 stimulus check granted by the government isn't enough. It isn't even close.
Can you imagine this happening to you? You've survived a virus that has affected millions of people and killed thousands all over the world. And now you have to pay the price.
There's been debate for years over free healthcare in America. At the very least, those who've survived the virus that caused a global pandemic should have their bills waived.
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