*A Black ER doctor in Arizona was prohibited from returning to work after he posted a viral tweet about a coronavirus surge.
Cleavon Gilman tweeted on November 22, “Just got to work and was notified there are no more ICU beds in the state of Arizona.”
After having to treat COVID patients in the waiting room, he told reporters that he felt a “moral obligation” to speak out. In a follow-up tweet he added: “What happened to the 175 beds??? We likely don’t have nursing to staff them. This is not good.”
He also directed a message to Arizona Governor Doug Ducey: “ZERO ICU Beds!! @dougducey what are you going to do??” He added: “An ICU bed without staff is like a plane without a pilot – USELESS!!”
After his tweet went viral, the company Gilman worked for, Envision Healthcare, notified him that the hospital, Yuma Regional Medical Center, does not want him not to return to work.
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Gilman told the Arizona Republic: “They told me it was because of the tweets and I couldn’t believe it because that was accurate information I posted to inform the citizens of Arizona,” he explained. “It is a grave injustice and it’s not just happening to me. Doctors everywhere are afraid to speak up.”
Yuma Regional Medical Center said in a statement that Gilman had been not been fired and was due to return this weekend.
“It’s clear there has been a misunderstanding. While he is not speaking on behalf of YRMC, we respect Dr Gilman’s right to share his personal perspective on the pandemic,” Hospital spokeswoman Shay Andres told The Washington Post.
In response to the statement, Gilman tweeted: “Oh really… this is news to me.” He added: “I didn’t do anything wrong. I was sharing information.”
He told the Post that he has missed five shifts, and has not worked since November 23.
“I moved my entire family to Yuma, Arizona from NYC. Then was told ONE DAY that I could not return to work over a tweet about ICU beds,” Gilman tweeted on December 11. “This is unjust, but has happened to 100s of ER doctors nationwide. We need legislation that provides due process for ER doctors like me.”
He added: “Hospitals should not be able to tell doctors that we cannot return to work without a fair hearing, but that is exactly what has happened to me and 100s of others!”
After seeing his initial tweet, President-elect Joe Biden reportedly called Gilman, telling him “how much he appreciates” his efforts.
“We are thankful to Dr. Gilman and all the inspiring frontline workers who risk their lives to protect us during this pandemic,” read a tweet on the account for Biden’s transition. “We promise you this: You have a partner in the Biden-Harris administration.”
The coronavirus has now infected almost 16 million people in the US, killing more than 295,000, according to Johns Hopkins University.
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