supported by his girlfriend (left) and his sister.
California man given standing ovation following coronavirus.
A video of a coronavirus patient leaving hospital supported by his girlfriend and sister
has gone viral, after the California man made a miracle recovery from the disease.
He is understood to have contracted the virus in February on a group ski trip in northern Italy,
CBS reports, and he was given just a one percent chance of survival.
Garfield was known as “Patient Zero” at St Joseph’s Providence Medical Centre as
he was the first patient to be admitted with COVID-19. He became ill and was hospitalized
after a February trip to northern Italy — an early source of coronavirus infections —
with a dozen of his friends.
“The disease kicked off, and my immune system just ate me alive,”
Garfield told KCAL-TV in Los Angeles.
Per a report on the “Today Show,” Garfield suffered pneumonia and kidney failure.
His sister Stephanie Garfield Bruno told KABC-TV that four different parts of his lungs collapsed.
He was unable to walk. But with the help of physicians and physical therapists,
he was slowly able to regain his mobility and returned home with a walker.
On the day of his release, the entire staff at Providence St. Joseph gathered for a round of
applause to cheer on the man who survived coronavirus, after two months of hospitalization.
He still has a long road to full recovery, but Garfield hopes that people take
the coronavirus pandemic seriously.
“The only thing I really am focused on right now is telling the story about how real this is,”
he told KCAL-TV. In the clip, Garfield is seen holding onto the arms of his girlfriend AJ and
his sister Stephanie as he stands up out of his wheelchair and makes his way out of the hospital doors.
He is surrounded by dozens of people with signs of encouragement and clapping.
A California “miracle patient” was given an emotional sendoff from the hospital after
he spent 64 days battling coronavirus, video shows.
Gregg Garfield was the first coronavirus patient to be admitted to St. Joseph’s Providence
Medical Center in Burbank, Calif., after he caught the virus on a ski trip in northern Italy.
In February, CBS Los Angeles reported. The virus attacked nearly every vital organ in his body,
leaving him on a ventilator for 31 days of his two-month stint, the outlet reported.
“I believe there is a 70 percent or above mortality rate for COVID patients that go on a ventilator,”
Dr. Daniel Dea told the outlet. “So for him to survive with a near full recovery is amazing.
He’s our miracle patient.” Garfield walked out of the hospital Friday with help from his girlfriend
and sister to raucous applause from hospital staffers.
“These guys in the hospital are unbelievable. This walkthrough of love, it’s just amazing,”
he said. “These doctors are the best of the best. I could not have survived anywhere else.”
What made the video even more special was that it was filmed and posted by Amanda Kloots
whose husband’s Nick Cordero remains in hospital fighting the disease.
Kloots became friends with Garfield, his girlfriend AJ and his sister Stephanie during their
time in hospital and she is thrilled at his recovery.
Along with the video of his discharge – during which he was given a standing ovation –
she posted the comment: “I’ve watched this video maybe 100 times and each time I get chills and teary eyed! This is my new friend, Gregg Garfield, walking out of St. Joseph’s hospital in
LA after 64 days – COVID SURVIVOR!
“Gregg’s story is very similar to Nicks so to have these three as new friends to talk
to has been amazing. What a send off this was! That’s an amazing Code Rocky!
“Congratulations to the hospital, doctors and nurses and most importantly Gregg!!”
Garfield’s struggle first came to light when his sister Stephanie Garfield Bruno started
a crowdfunding page for him, saying her brother had one percent chance of surviving coronavirus
when he was admitted. She said her brother checked himself into hospital on March 5
with serious COVID-19 symptoms.
“Two days later, under heavy sedation and paralytic drugs, the doctors intubated him –
around day 10 doing a tracheostomy- and he continued to be on a ventilator for 31 days,” she said.
“During that time his body became septic; his kidneys failed and he was put on CRRT dialysis; his blood pressure plummeted and he needed medications to divert his blood-flow to his major organs for survival, leaving his hands and feet starving for circulation; he spiked fevers and was covered in ice; his lungs collapsed four times and chest tubes were inserted; and he developed secondary infections that are
common in hospital environments.
“He had a one per cent chance of surviving,” she continued. “The doctors and nursing staff had to always remain three steps ahead of any potential disasters because to enter his room took about 15 minutes
for them to gear up in their hazmat attire.
“Gregg knocked on death’s door, but said “F#$% NO! I’m not coming in!!!”
She joined her brother in thanking hospital staff for his miracle recovery.
“His care team at the hospital- an incredible group of smart, talented, caring individuals –
did everything in their power to bring him through. THANK YOU seems inadequate a word
to express the gratitude that Gregg and his family feel for all of you.”
Before he was able to be discharged, Garfield had to undergo rehabilitation to learn to walk
and perform basic daily activities. He has suffered permanent damage to his fingers and toes
and will return to hospital for amputations and the fitting of prostheses.
Funds that have been raised for Garfield will now be used to modify his home to
“accommodate his new hands and help facilitate movement”.
As he was leaving, Garfield thanked hospital staff for aiding his recovery, telling CBS:
“These guys in the hospital are unbelievable. This walkthrough of love, it’s just amazing.
“These doctors are the best of the best. I could not have survived anywhere else.”
Stephanie also expressed her utmost appreciation for the hospital for saving her brother’s life.
“I’m so thankful for this hospital,” she told CBS. “They saved his life. Every person who has been in here
to take care of him and who has talked to him and hold his hand because we couldn’t.”
Dr. Daniel Dea, who works at the hospital, said they refer to Garfield as their “miracle patient.”
“I believe there is a 70 percent or above mortality rate for COVID patients that go on a ventilator,” he told CBS. “So for him to survive with a near full recovery is amazing.”
Here are Twelve things to know about meat shortages during a pandemic!!!
Fact check Did heroin overdoses kill more Americans than the coronavirus in mid-March?
What parents should know about new COVID-related inflammatory disease!!!
Facts you should know about COVID-19 (2019 novel coronavirus) prevention tips!!!
COVID-19 is a new disease that can cause immune problems usually in individuals with medical problems.
In the elderly, COVID-19 can cause a potentially fatal viral pneumonia that requires hospitalization.
COVID-19 is the cause of the current pandemic.
COVID-19 mainly spreads from person to person by respiratory droplets infected with SARS-CoV-2.
COVID-19 can also spread by infected droplets that land on surfaces.
Prevention and decreasing the risk of COVID-19 infection can occur when people follow the
CDC recommendations, especially handwashing, social distancing, and decontamination.
If you are COVID-19 positive, you can use face masks, isolation, quarantine, gloves for caregivers,
and disinfection of surfaces to reduce the risk of infecting other people.
What is COVID-19 (2019 novel coronavirus)?
COVID-19 is a new disease first discovered in Wuhan, China, in late December 2019,
that likely came from infected animals and spread to humans. SARS-CoV-2 is the name of
the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19. The virus can cause severe respiratory problems mainly
in people with medical problems, weakened immunity, and the elderly (age 60 and older). As of Mar. 11, 2020,
the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-9 the cause of a worldwide pandemic.
Some infections result in fatal viral pneumonia.
The current mortality rate (death rate) is about 4.76%, depending on the data available.
How does COVID-19 (2019 novel coronavirus) spread?
COVID-19 spreads by an infected person coughing and/or sneezing, thus producing infected respiratory droplets. This is person-to-person spread, most often by inhalation. It also spreads by touching surfaces where infected droplets land followed by touching your eyes, nose, and/or face and mouth. There is no airborne spread like the measles virus. Unfortunately, some people can be infected and have little or no symptoms yet still be able to spread COVID-19 to others.
COVID-19 Infection Symptoms & Signs
Medical researchers estimate that the incubation period varies from 2 days to about 14 days. Symptoms may begin like the flu but go on to develop fever, cough, and shortness of breath that is severe enough to warrant hospitalization in many patients. Although early in this outbreak, Chinese researchers suggest that people who are infected but don’t show symptoms (incubation period) may be contagious. This allows the virus to spread more freely from person-to-person and makes it more difficult to isolate infected patients.
Read more about COVID-19 (Wuhan coronavirus) »
What can people do to prevent a COVID-19 (2019 novel coronavirus) infection?
The best way to prevent or decrease your risk of COVID-19 infection is to avoid contacting infected people and the places they have visited. Infected people can help minimize the chance of infecting other people by strict quarantine procedures that keep the infection isolated from others. Currently, there is no vaccine available to prevent infection. Also, there is no antiviral drug available to prevent or treat infection. Some individuals suggest that taking zinc and/or vitamin C tablets help, however, such data for preventing COVID-19 is lacking.
The CDC has specific recommendations for COVID-19 prevention that it constantly updates.
The following is modified from the CDC (as of March 11, 2020). Remind everyone in your household of the importance of practicing everyday preventive actions that can help prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses:
Avoid close contact with sick people; distance yourself eight feet or more from other people
(termed social distancing).
Stay home when sick, except to get medical care.
Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue. Cough and sneeze into your elbow –
if you can’t cover with a tissue.
Clean frequently touched surfaces and objects daily (for example, tables, countertops,
light switches, doorknobs, and cabinet handles) using a regular household detergent and water.
If surfaces are dirty, clean them first by using a detergent and water prior to disinfection. Depending on the surface type and environmental conditions, COVID-19 virus survives on surfaces for many hours.
For disinfection, a list of products with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-approved
(EPA-registered household disinfectants) emerging viral pathogens claims is available at
Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Fighting Products.
Frequently wash your hands with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds, especially
after using the restroom, prior to eating, and after coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose.
Immediately throw away used tissues. If soap and water are unavailable,
use a hand sanitizer that has approximately 60% alcohol.
How can people protect others if they are infected with COVID-19 (2019 novel coronavirus)?
If you test positive for COVID-19, you should immediately put on a face mask, keep 8 feet or more space between you and other people, put yourself in isolation, and contact your local health department and your doctor. If you isolate at home, interact with only one caregiver to reduce risk to others.
Wear a face mask to reduce droplet spread and have gloves available,
if possible, for that one person with whom you interact. In addition, if you are able,
follow the CDC recommendations listed above.
Latest Coronavirus News
COVID-19 Now Into Rural America
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Facts
COVID-19 vs. Allergies
COVID-19 Prevention Tips
Remdesivir (RDV)
Can Schools Really Reopen Safely?
Kids’ ER Visits for Mental Health Problems Soared
Bill Would Close Live Animal Markets in New York
COVID-19 Still Rare in Kids, But Far From Harmless
PTSD May Plague Nurses Especially in COVID-19 Era