New York: Woman collects 650 tablets to help COVID-19 patients connect with their families

Amid the unprecedented outbreak of deadly coronavirus, while the global death toll continues to spike, people have showcased kind gestures including raising money of public health staffers. Jumping on the bandwagon of “heartwarming” deeds, a New Yorker is now looking for hospitals in the state that require tablets, Kindles, iPads for coronavirus patients to communicate while in isolation. Earlier this month, Ee Tay had successfully arranged for the donation of at least 650 Kindles, tablets, iPads for COVID-19 patients who remained away from their families and often battle with loneliness.

Even though she initially started the donation drive to get only 150 devices and sen them to Bellevue Hospital, Tay got an “overwhelming” response. As of April 18, she is now looking for other such facilities in the state including hospitals and care homes to distribute the remaining communication devices.  The New Yorker has received multiple android phones so that the hospitals can help the financially weak patients to have a word with their loved ones while still in isolation. According to reports, some of the devices collected by Tay and many others encouraged by her have now reached the intensive care units of many hospitals. 

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‘Birthday Wish Fulfilled’

Taking to Facebook for all her announcements, Tay shared the “happy” news earlier this month of receiving hundreds of tablets that will enable the people in quarantine to talk to their loved ones. Tay was encouraged to make such a move when she got to know about many coronavirus patients had died without meeting their friends and family or bidding goodbye's In just a week after posting that she wanted to collect devices for NYC hospitals, people “showered their generosity” by giving away used and new tablets with chargers for donations. Tay even shared the image of herself with several tablets and hospital workers receiving them.

Tay wrote, " I requested from you all 150 iPad and tablet donations as my birthday wish to help the sick covid patients communicate with their families when they are admitted and before they die."

"You all opened your hearts and poured your generosity into my requests by sending me what you could. I received so many tablets, both new and used, which will help heal and ease the pain when patients are in the hospital," she added.

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