California doctor moves into a tent in his garage to protect his wife and children from coronavirus while he treats patients
- Dr. Timmy Cheng treats patients with COVID-19 so he’s taking steps to protect his family from the virus that has killed tens of thousands worldwide
- The pulmonary and critical care specialist has moved into his family’s garage
- He is camping out in a tent to protect his family from the novel coronavirus
- Inside the tent, Dr. Cheng has a twin mattress, a laptop and snacks
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A California doctor who is working on the front lines and treating patients with coronavirus is self-isolating himself from his family at the end of his hospital shifts.
Dr. Timmy Cheng has decided to live in a tent in order to protect his family from the deadly disease.
Dr. Cheng erected the tent in his garage where he goes to sleep each night after a grueling workday at the hospital in order to protect his wife and children.
Dr. Timmy Cheng treats patients with COVID-19 so he’s taking steps to protect his family from the virus that has killed tens of thousands worldwide
Cheng is a pulmonary and critical care specialist at UC Irvine near San Diego and has moved into his family’s garage
‘I voluntarily became homeless to protect my family should I become infected and bring the virus home,’ Cheng wrote on Facebook.
‘I spent one night in my car, then four nights in the hospital call room. On day five, my wife came up with the idea for me to live in a tent in our garage. So, here it is.’
Cheng works at UCI Medical Center in Irvine where he is a pulmonary and critical care specialist.
Initially, Cheng was sleeping in his car or a room at the hospital – but it wasn’t comfortable.
The tent was erected net to his car. He is camping out in the garage to protect his family from the novel coronavirus
Inside the tent, Dr. Cheng has a twin mattress as well as other bedding, a laptop and snacks
In his tent he has a few home comforts including a twin mattress, pillow and a laptop.
Cheng, who believes he may be forced to live in the tent for months, said he keeps snacks nearby, and his family leave him food at the door of the garage.
The tent is right next to his car. He believes he could well be living out of the garage tent for months.
‘You can help me and other healthcare workers become un-homeless by STAYING HOME,’ he pleaded on Facebook in a posting that has been shared 38,000 times and had 34,000 likes.
‘JUST DO IT. Nobody is too cool to stay home. Nobody is too healthy to get sick.
‘STAY HOME and help stop the spread of this virus. Countless doctors, nurses, and other health care workers are working hard to save YOUR LIFE. The least you could do is stay home so that we, too, can go home to our loved ones one day.’
California has the third highest rate of coronavirus infections in the country with 4,886 cases and 102 deaths.
Cheng contnues to work at the UC Irvine Medical Center and is expecting to be camping oout for months to come