Oh no that’s not at all how your comment came off! I just wanted to confirm your suspicions and back up your concerns as someone who’s privy to this issue firsthand. I wish everyone had as thoughtful an approach as you have shown with your reflections.

It’s especially unfortunate timing- Columbus is dealing with a massive surge of RSV, and our local children’s hospital has been so overwhelmed that we are now starting to get overflow patients at the adult ED I’ve been working at this past month. It’s a rough time for all of us, and your approach is reassuring. Folks, get your flu shots too- this is a bad season and I’ve had to hospitalize more previously healthy adults for flu symptom management than I’ve expected, unfortunately we are just getting started. Stay healthy!

You are correct, I’m in Columbus and the daycares/schools affected primarily serve Somali communities. That being said, these folks are a minority. I’m in the medical field and have seen far more Somali families taking great care of their children (including following vaccination schedules etc) than not. Really hoping these kiddos pull through, and also that this doesn’t result in indiscriminate hatred being directed at our Somali neighbors.

Edited to add: these families are often ones who encounter systemic barriers to seeking healthcare, and desperately want to do the right things for their children but are not able to afford costs, take time off work to make appointments, or sometimes even be sure that language translation services are available. I volunteer at a free clinic and see folks regularly for late night appointments because that’s the only time they have to see physicians. Blaming only the families in this case isn’t totally accurate, there are likely a lot of systemic failures that have factored into this outcome as well.