Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

An infectious disease physician says: Stay the F@$k at home

Jesica Herrick, MD
Conditions
March 27, 2020
Share
Tweet
Share

In honor of one of the great classic novels, Go the F**k to Sleep, I would like to present to you my literary work: Stay the F@$k at Home.

To the healthy 20 year old who asks, “Why should I stay the F@$k at home, COVID-19 is not going to kill me?”

I ask: Do you want to kill your nana and grand-pops?

No?

Then stay the F@$k at home.

To the workaholic 25 year old who asks, “Why should I stay the F@$k at home, it’s just the sniffles?”

I first say I get you.  My threshold for calling in sick is a brain tumor.

Then I ask: Do you want to kill the CEO of your company, thus leaving you without that job you have worked so hard to earn?

No?

Then stay the F@$k at home.

To the 35 year old who says, “I’ve worked really hard to climb the corporate ladder and earn all this money. Why should I have to lose money by staying at home?”

I ask: Is this event you want to go to so important you are willing to risk spreading the very mild case of COVID-19 you have to someone without an immune system?

Yes?

Really?

OK, another way to ask that question:  Do you want to kill kids with cancer?

No?

Then stay the F@$k at home.

To the 50 year old with asthma who says, “I’ve heard on the news that this is a hoax, so I’m going to go out wherever I want.”

I say:  One of the hard parts of being a doctor is taking care of patients I vehemently disagree with.  I truly want you to stay healthy, so please, please, stay the F@$k at home

To my 70-year-old mother who says, “But I’m basically healthy, can’t I just go play with my grandchildren?”

I ask: Do you want to be there when your grandchildren graduate from college?

ADVERTISEMENT

Yes?

Then stay the F@$k at home.

Jesica Herrick is an infectious disease physician.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com

Prev

COVID-19 is rattling the nerves of preemie parents everywhere

March 27, 2020 Kevin 0
…
Next

In the midst of COVID-19, triage is a four-letter word

March 27, 2020 Kevin 0
…

Tagged as: COVID, Infectious Disease

Post navigation

< Previous Post
COVID-19 is rattling the nerves of preemie parents everywhere
Next Post >
In the midst of COVID-19, triage is a four-letter word

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

  • Should only infectious disease specialists be allowed to prescribe antibiotics?

    Craig Bowron, MD
  • A physician’s addiction to social media

    Amanda Xi, MD
  • The black physician’s burden

    Naomi Tweyo Nkinsi
  • Why a gap year will make this medical student a better physician

    Yoo Jung Kim, MD
  • For future physician-activists: This is our lane

    Jake Fox, Alec Feuerbach, and Jordan Rook
  • My future as both a mother and a physician

    Madeleine Norris

More in Conditions

  • Why your health is a portfolio to manage

    Larry Kaskel, MD
  • Pain control failures in fertility clinics

    Maire Daugharty, MD
  • Why what you do in midlife matters most

    Michael Pessman
  • Was Viagra the best heart drug we never had?

    Bharat Desai, MD
  • How to stay safe from back-to-school illnesses

    Kevin King, PhD
  • The infectious hypothesis of heart disease revisited

    Larry Kaskel, MD
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • A doctor’s letter from a federal prison

      L. Joseph Parker, MD | Physician
    • When language barriers become a medical emergency

      Monzur Morshed, MD and Kaysan Morshed | Physician
    • A surgeon’s view on RVUs and moral injury

      Rene Loyola, MD | Physician
    • Why doctors are losing the health care culture war

      Rusha Modi, MD, MPH | Policy
    • The hypocrisy of insurance referral mandates

      Ryan Nadelson, MD | Physician
    • A cancer doctor’s warning about the future of medicine

      Banu Symington, MD | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • Rethinking the JUPITER trial and statin safety

      Larry Kaskel, MD | Conditions
    • The ignored clinical trials on statins and mortality

      Larry Kaskel, MD | Conditions
    • How one physician redesigned her practice to find joy in primary care again [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • I passed my medical boards at 63. And no, I was not having a midlife crisis.

      Rajeev Khanna, MD | Physician
    • Why doctors must fight for a just health care system

      Alankrita Olson, MD, MPH & Ashley Duhon, MD & Toby Terwilliger, MD | Policy
    • The silent disease causing 400 amputations daily

      Xzabia Caliste, MD | Conditions
  • Recent Posts

    • How Gen Z is reshaping health care through DIY approaches and digital tools [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Love and loss in the oncology ward

      Dr. Damane Zehra | Physician
    • The weight of genetic testing in a family

      Rebecca Thompson, MD | Physician
    • A surgeon’s view on RVUs and moral injury

      Rene Loyola, MD | Physician
    • Meeting transgender patients with compassion and equity in health care [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Why your health is a portfolio to manage

      Larry Kaskel, MD | Conditions

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 1 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • A doctor’s letter from a federal prison

      L. Joseph Parker, MD | Physician
    • When language barriers become a medical emergency

      Monzur Morshed, MD and Kaysan Morshed | Physician
    • A surgeon’s view on RVUs and moral injury

      Rene Loyola, MD | Physician
    • Why doctors are losing the health care culture war

      Rusha Modi, MD, MPH | Policy
    • The hypocrisy of insurance referral mandates

      Ryan Nadelson, MD | Physician
    • A cancer doctor’s warning about the future of medicine

      Banu Symington, MD | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • Rethinking the JUPITER trial and statin safety

      Larry Kaskel, MD | Conditions
    • The ignored clinical trials on statins and mortality

      Larry Kaskel, MD | Conditions
    • How one physician redesigned her practice to find joy in primary care again [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • I passed my medical boards at 63. And no, I was not having a midlife crisis.

      Rajeev Khanna, MD | Physician
    • Why doctors must fight for a just health care system

      Alankrita Olson, MD, MPH & Ashley Duhon, MD & Toby Terwilliger, MD | Policy
    • The silent disease causing 400 amputations daily

      Xzabia Caliste, MD | Conditions
  • Recent Posts

    • How Gen Z is reshaping health care through DIY approaches and digital tools [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Love and loss in the oncology ward

      Dr. Damane Zehra | Physician
    • The weight of genetic testing in a family

      Rebecca Thompson, MD | Physician
    • A surgeon’s view on RVUs and moral injury

      Rene Loyola, MD | Physician
    • Meeting transgender patients with compassion and equity in health care [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Why your health is a portfolio to manage

      Larry Kaskel, MD | Conditions

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

An infectious disease physician says: Stay the F@$k at home
1 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...