After long shifts over Easter weekend, two emergency room nurses at the Boston Children's Hospital returned to their vehicles to find their car windows had been smashed and their personal items robbed. Both nurses had worked around 12 hours treating children with life-threatening conditions.
Sergeant Detective John Boyle from the Boston Police confirmed the incident to Newsweek: "On Saturday Boston officers responded to a radio call. The rear passenger window had been smashed, the victim stated that several items had been stolen from her car."
"I just felt really, really sad that something like that would happen at a Children's Hospital parking lot," said day nurse Renée Cather to The Boston Globe.
Nurse Renée Cather parked at the Patient Family Parking Garage, when she returned to her vehicle she found glass everywhere and her Air Pods, wallet, sunglasses and clothes gone. "To me, it just felt really ugly," Cather told WCVB.
In a second incident over the Easter weekend, another urgent care nurse at the same hospital faced a similar ordeal, Boyle told Newsweek.
"The units responded to a radio call from the [Boston] Children's Hospital garage. According to the caller she had parked her car around 8 a.m., and when she returned around 7.45 p.m. she observed the driver side window broken as well as some items stolen from her car."
Erin C. Tornatore, a representative from Boston Children's Hospital, was saddened by the incident.
"In such a trying time when so many people are pulling together, it is particularly disturbing and disappointing for this to have happened to two people who are so essential to our community's collective response to COVID-19," she told Newsweek.
"We are always incredibly proud of our employees for their long and hard work and the extraordinary care they provide.
"The break-ins were reported to our security team and we are working with the Boston Police Department on investigative follow-up," said Tornatore.
There are security cameras fitted in Boston Children's Hospital parking lots, which may provide further information.
Similar shocking crimes involving frontline workers and medical staff have taken place across the globe amid the coronavirus pandemic. In the U.K. a man was jailed last week after breaking into a district nurse's car and going on a spending spree with her credit card.
"We are living in an unprecedented time and [National Health Service] staff are providing vital services for the people in city and county.
"To think that someone would steal from someone who is putting themselves at risk every day in order to protect our residents is sickening," said Inspector Gordon Fenwick from Nottinghamshire Police, as reported by Nottingham Post.
Coronavirus has so far claimed the lives of more than 115,000 people, with over 1.85 million people contracting the disease. To date, 440,000 people have recovered from contracting COVID-19.
This article was updated to include comment from Erin C. Tornatore.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Advice on Using Face Coverings to Slow Spread of COVID-19
- CDC recommends wearing a cloth face covering in public where social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.
- A simple cloth face covering can help slow the spread of the virus by those infected and by those who do not exhibit symptoms.
- Cloth face coverings can be fashioned from household items. Guides are offered by the CDC. (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/diy-cloth-face-coverings.html)
- Cloth face coverings should be washed regularly. A washing machine will suffice.
- Practice safe removal of face coverings by not touching eyes, nose, and mouth, and wash hands immediately after removing the covering.
World Health Organization advice for avoiding spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19)
Hygiene advice
- Clean hands frequently with soap and water, or alcohol-based hand rub.
- Wash hands after coughing or sneezing; when caring for the sick; before, during and after food preparation; before eating; after using the toilet; when hands are visibly dirty; and after handling animals or waste.
- Maintain at least 1 meter (3 feet) distance from anyone who is coughing or sneezing.
- Avoid touching your hands, nose and mouth. Do not spit in public.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or bent elbow when coughing or sneezing. Discard the tissue immediately and clean your hands.
Medical advice
- Avoid close contact with others if you have any symptoms.
- Stay at home if you feel unwell, even with mild symptoms such as headache and runny nose, to avoid potential spread of the disease to medical facilities and other people.
- If you develop serious symptoms (fever, cough, difficulty breathing) seek medical care early and contact local health authorities in advance.
- Note any recent contact with others and travel details to provide to authorities who can trace and prevent spread of the disease.
- Stay up to date on COVID-19 developments issued by health authorities and follow their guidance.
Mask and glove usage
- Healthy individuals only need to wear a mask if taking care of a sick person.
- Wear a mask if you are coughing or sneezing.
- Masks are effective when used in combination with frequent hand cleaning.
- Do not touch the mask while wearing it. Clean hands if you touch the mask.
- Learn how to properly put on, remove and dispose of masks. Clean hands after disposing of the mask.
- Do not reuse single-use masks.
- Regularly washing bare hands is more effective against catching COVID-19 than wearing rubber gloves.
- The COVID-19 virus can still be picked up on rubber gloves and transmitted by touching your face.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Jade has been a journalist for more than 15 years. She has lived in and reported on the Middle East, ... Read more
