Parkland News Flash - April 30, 2020

Being cared for by medical staff whose faces you can barely see because of protective masks they must wear understandably makes many COVID-19 patients feel even more isolated and uncomfortable. Elizabeth Paulk, MD, Medical Director of Parkland's Palliative Care service, took pictures of everyone on her team without their masks and printed them on a sheet of paper to hand to COVID-19 patients. Underneath the pictures was a special note reassuring patients that they are not alone during this time, their care team is there with them. Paulk shared more details of her kind gesture with KXAS-TV (NBC),KXAN-TV (NBC),(KVEO-TV (NBC),KRLD-AM and KTXT-TV (Telemundo 39).

Dallas area's Muslim community went above and beyond to collect and make large donations to Parkland. Frontline staff received more than 1,500 meals and 1,000 sweet treats. Hours later they received 2,000 items of personal protective equipment. The group has donated to numerous healthcare organizations and first responders in the community. More information on this organization's generosity is detailed in The Dallas Morning News.

COVID-19 can be contracted by people of all ages but reports show that patients over the age of 65 have an elevated risk of serious illness and death from COVID-19. Parkland geriatric specialist Raja Paspula, MD spoke with KERA-FM about how pre-exisiting conditions, declining immunity and other factors increase the elderly's risk for COVID-19 and what they can do to protect themselves.