It seems as though there will never be enough “thank-you’s” for the incredible doctors, nurses, technicians and support staff who are working around the clock to help patients with this dangerous coronavirus disease. It’s their dedication, determination and spirit that enable Johns Hopkins to deliver the promise of medicine.

Joseph Cofrancesco is a professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He is no stranger to pandemics — he trained in New York City in 1990 during the AIDS crisis. However, the COVID-19 pandemic hit close to home. Cofrancesco’s brother John spent his last weeks of life in the hospital, away from family, before passing away from COVID-19 complications in March. “It is a challenging time. We couldn’t visit him in the hospital, I couldn’t go home to be with family. We couldn’t have a funeral,” says Cofrancesco. As a small way to honor his brother’s memory, Cofrancesco took on extra shifts caring for COVID patients at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. “As a doctor, I took an oath. I want to care for these patients and make sure they know they are not alone.”  

Video: Joe Cofrancesco - Frontlines of COVID-19 Care

Cofrancesco is available to discuss his experience with journalists.

For information from Johns Hopkins Medicine about the coronavirus pandemic, visit the coronavirus information page. For information on the coronavirus from throughout the Johns Hopkins enterprise, including the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and The Johns Hopkins University, visit the coronavirus resource center.