TAMPA, Fla. — Health care workers across the nation are looking for places to stay so they don't risk bringing the coronavirus home to their families. One Facebook group is looking to help.
RVs for MDs is the name of a Facebook group that is pairing up healthcare workers and first responders with campers for them to stay in.
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“This is tremendously helpful,” said Steven Guggino, an ER doctor at Lakeland Regional Health.
Guggino is on the frontlines, coming in contact with people who may have the coronavirus every day. Because of this, he and other healthcare workers across the country, are having to get creative, so they don’t expose their families.
“My partners are doing it in different ways, some are living in separate parts of the house,” said Guggino.
But for those who don’t have the luxury of living in a separate part of their home, they’re getting some help from the community.
“We have a place someone can sleep, someone needs a place to sleep,” said Monica Petrella, owner of the camper Guggino will be staying in.
Thousands of RV and trailer owners across the nation have joined the RVs for MDs Facebook group, to lend their camper to a healthcare worker or first responder in need.
“The whole point is giving somebody a nice, safe, comfortable place, that gives them not only the comfort of a place to stay, but the comfort of the piece of mind knowing that they’re not risking their loved ones,” said Jack Timmel, owner of the camper Guggino will be staying in.
It’s a way to help out those who are helping all of us, while also keeping them as close as possible to their families.
“My wife is kind enough to cook meals, and I sit on one side of the porch and they sit on the other, or sometimes we’ll sit at different sides of the backyard and we’ll share in conversation,” said Guggino.
Guggino is glad to have a camper to park in his driveway for the time being, and thankful to those in the community willing to help healthcare workers.
“Knowing people care, it’s really heartwarming,” said Guggino.
For more information on lending a camper, or needing a place to stay, click here .
