I am shocked at the lack of outrage or repercussions to the comments from Dr. Burnett toward Ms. Heather Scott and Sheriff Daryl Wheeler of Sandpoint. While you may disagree politically and feel that the quarantine is justified, to “take comfort” in the fact that you would deny them the proper medical treatment is downright tyrannical and truly sickening.

Let the words of the physician from Coeur d’Alene, Dr. Robert Burnett sink in:

“... I want you to know that in the unlikely but possible event that either you or Sheriff Wheeler contract the coronavirus, and in the less likely event that you will require hospitalization, and even less likely but possible event that you would require a ventilator, that I, and all of my co-workers take comfort in knowing that, because of your behavior, you have essentially relinquished your claim to any of these potentially scare resources. It’s probably for the better that a ventilator go to a health care provider anyway.”

Dr. Burnett, you should be absolutely ashamed of your carefully chosen words, especially during this time of high stress. I urge you to re-read the Hippocratic Oath and consider why you took it in the first place if you would ever lord your healthcare services over the community you serve.

I know that I will never visit a hospital such as Kootenai Health who employs a physician (or multiple healthcare workers) with an appalling lack of humanity. According to the quote, Dr. Burnett tells that all of his co-workers share in his sentiment. If true, what kind of hospital takes pleasure in denying certain kinds of people healthcare?

C.G. HILL

Sagle