A viral tweet showing rows and rows of iPads on stands has shone a light onto the dark reality US hospital patients are facing during COVID-19.
Shared by user roto_tudor, the image depicts dozens of "iPad stations" to be used for palliative care patients with their final visits.
Because of the risk of community transmission, patients in ICU who are terminally ill must face time their friends and family via the iPads, instead of in person.
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https://twitter.com/roto_tudor/status/1334534101265682434"These are iPad stations being prepared for virtual ICU end of life visits by a palliative care doc I know," the tweet reads.
To date it has attracted almost 79,200 likes and more than 20,000 re-tweets.
Many followers told their own stories of having to say goodbye to loved ones via a screen.
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"On Monday my boyfriend said goodbye to his mother on an iPad. He didn't get one last hug or simply hold her hand. He sat behind glass & held an iPad to try and prevent doing the same goodbye with his elderly father," wrote one user.
"Did the same with my mother Thanksgiving Day. The pain of losing her is almost unbearable and it was so unnecessary," wrote another.
The United States currently has the highest number of total COVID-19 cases, now numbering more than 14 million.
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It also leads the death toll, having recorded more than 267,000 deaths due to the virus.
The next closest nation, India, has five million fewer total cases with 9.5 million.
You can get up-to-date information from the Federal Government's Coronavirus Australia app, available on the App Store, Google Play and the Government's WhatsApp channel.
Beyond Blue's Coronavirus Mental Wellbeing Support Service is a 24/7 service free of charge to all Australians. Visit the site here or call 1800512348
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