As COVID-19 wreaked havoc on the Bronx, it also caused devastation in other parts of the country including Texas. During the summer, the coronavirus killed 1,000 people in 10 days in the Lone Star State.
With a passion for helping others, Josh Moskovitz, a doctor at Jacobi Hospital, went with New York’s Disaster Medical Assistance Team and provided aid at Laredo Medical Center in Laredo, Texas for 10 days in July.
Moskovitz, 40, joined the DMAT team two years ago. There are teams in every state made up of health care professionals that are on call a few months a year.
“It was something I’ve wanted to do for a long time,” Moskovitz said.
Moskovitz has always been passionate about helping others, serving as a volunteer EMT prior to becoming a doctor in 2007.
He understood he was exposing himself to COVID-19 by traveling and being around infected patients, but stressed that it was worth the sacrifice of aiding patients during these times.
While the hospital was not in a big city like New York, everyone there still needed and appreciated the extra set of hands. Moskovitz recalled that his team was welcomed with open arms.
During his time in Texas, Moskovitz supplemented hospital staff and primarily assisted with COVID-19 patients.
“For me it felt very good emotionally,” he explained. “It felt very fulfilling to go there.”
He stressed that the experience was not a vacation and he did not spend any nights out sightseeing or enjoying the scenery. The trip was worthwhile and he hopes in the future to make a similar impact in other states.
“It was a great experience,” he said.
