Patient Zero by Tananarive Due

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Patient Zero by Tananarive Due Reflection Paper
In Patient Zero, Tananarive Due writes about a little boy confined in a healthcare facility for having contracted a strange virus. The child has been in the healthcare facility for an extended time and is prohibited from leaving. When individuals come to check on him, they are required to wear funny protective gear to avoid getting infected. As time passes, the narrator (the boy) starts receiving fewer visitors, making him question life outside of the hospital. As his caretakers reduce in number, the body becomes worried about the welfare of society and prays that everyone will be alright and things return to normal. The reflection calls for the need to consider the adverse impact of quarantine and the discriminative practices against Covid-19 patients that are likely to be prevalent in today’s health system.
In this story, Due presents the serious social problem of isolating infected persons as it undermines their wellbeing and mental health. For example, the boy in the story is mistreated and not accorded the dignity as a human being. He narrates that everyone was laughing at him because he cried and wandered inside his room until he fell on the flow and hurt his elbow. The narrator notes, “The janitor, Lou, turned on the intercom box outside my door and said, “Kid, you gone crazier than usual?” (Due). In this context, Due’s short story mirrors the issues that Covid-19 patients undergo at the hands of unprofessional healthcare providers. The healthcare system needs to address the stigma and negative perception against Covid-19 patients to guarantee their welfare and augment their health outcomes. Although quarantine is essential in controlling the virus spread, healthcare providers should demonstrate care and empathy for the patients.
The stor...