Free HealthCare

Last night I was listening to Ariana Ramsey, an American rugby player, winner of a bronze medal at the Olympics, how surprised she was of receiving free healthcare at the Olympic Village in France.

Since her competition ended earlier during the Olympics, she scheduled and received medical appointments for a pap smear, an eye exam, a new pair of glasses and a dental check up at the Olympic Village.

She chronicled her experience on Tik Tok, and explained her shock at finding out that all the athletes had access to free medical services while staying at the village.

"According to the Paris 2024 organizing committee, the Village also offers cardiology, mental health, dermatology, orthopedics, physiotherapy, psychology, podiatry and, of course, sports medicine—all at no cost to the athletes." - Sports Illustrated.

Ariana Ramsey's was so impressed with the services received that said, "this is going to be my new fight for action, free healthcare in America."

Good luck with that. In my opinion, socialized health care will never be implemented in the United States.

Another Day At The Office

When the Covid-19 pandemic traveling restrictions eased up a little, and international travel was re-opened, I decided to visit Paris and booked a flight for the morning of January 10, 2022.

I began to worry because the airline required a Covid test taken 72 hours prior to boarding. After booking the Paris trip, I was unable to find a testing site in Philly that didn't required an appointment, everyone was full. And to make matters worse, there was no appointment available before my trip. I contacted my former supervisor at the health center where I used to work before retiring a few months prior, and they squeezed me in to get tested. I received the online results the next day, and was all set to travel.

Another one of my concerns was that to return to the United States, travel restrictions were a little more strict and now I was required to show a Covid test result taken 24 hours prior to the day of my flight. After arriving in Paris, I learned that Covid tests were available at any pharmacy in the city, results available in 20 minutes, and no appointments required. Cost $26.00 euros, and I was assured that there was a pharmacy in every corner, as illustrated in the top picture. In my broken very limited French, I asked a fruit vendor to take the pic of "moi" waiting to take the test.

To put it into perspective, yesterday I read that two days before Thursday night’s men’s 200 final race, Noah Lyles, the American record holder of the 200 meters, and the third fastest man in the event learned he had tested positive for Covid. With permission of officials at USA Track and Field and the U.S. Olympics, who said they followed protocol, Lyles was allowed to run at the Olympics. Lyles won the bronze medal with 102-degree Covid fever and collapsed on the track after the race was over.

Nowadays, a  Covid diagnosis is like just another day at the office.