A recently released online, interactive graphic highlights the areas of the United States that are more than 30 minutes away from the nearest hospital. The article contends that the 8.6 million people living in these rural areas are less likely to seek care, making them more at risk to spread to coronavirus to others. If these rural hospitals become overwhelmed, patients will have to travel even further for treatment. In Navajo County, Arizona, where cases have quickly increased, the smaller tribal clinics have begun transferring patients to hospitals in Flagstaff and Phoenix. The CEO of North Country HealthCare, Anne Newland, says “it’s not just the distance, it’s that people are afraid.” The article also covers the stories of Florida farmworkers and Washington hospitals, where people live far from care.
