Nurse!

Doctors are firing back at critics who are questioning the safety of Robert Kraft's PPE mask donations this month ... slamming the hate and straight-up calling the charity "a godsend."

If you missed it ... after Kraft got his Patriots plane to deliver over 1 MILLION masks from China to the U.S. -- some questioned the effectiveness of the pieces.

The Boston Globe -- citing several medical professionals -- claimed there was concern that a version of the N95 mask -- known as the KN95 mask -- that Kraft negotiated for wouldn't be good enough to protect medical personnel in the States.

But, MA General Hospital President Peter L. Slavin M.D. shot all of that talk down Monday ... saying Kraft's donation could not have been more appreciated -- and will be used effectively.

"KN95s and N95s are similar products that must meet the same high standards of filtration, and they function the same way," Slavin said.

"The purchase and delivery of these respirators to Massachusetts and New York were a godsend to frontline healthcare workers in hospitals and nursing homes who have been fearful and concerned about the dire shortage of personal protective equipment."

George Stephanopoulos says he's tested positive for coronavirus -- a few weeks after his wife contracted it -- but says, so far, he's not suffering.

The 'GMA' anchor made the revelation Monday morning ... telling his cohosts, Robin Roberts and Michael Strahan, that his spouse, Ali Wentworth, was on the mend and getting better after a recent bout with COVID-19 that left her with a high fever and other symptoms.

In the same breath, George -- who is working from home -- said he too had recently tested positive. The somewhat good news is GS says his case of coronavirus appears to be asymptomatic ... he says he hasn't shown any of the typical signs of illness.

In fact, George even goes so far as to say he's feeling great. It also sounds like George is gonna keep working. He shares two daughters with Ali, and he's been their primary caretaker while his wife has been under the weather.

As we've reported ... NBC, CBS and CNN -- all based in NYC -- have had staffers test positive, including Chris Cuomo ... who has been battling symptoms.

That's more a sign of how badly NY has been hit by the pandemic, than anything else.

The people of Los Angeles County will have to remain on lockdown for at least another month ... county officials have extended an order until May 15.

L.A. County's public health director, Barbara Ferrer, made the announcement Friday during a press conference. The "Safer-at-Home" initiative has closed public beaches, most parks and hiking trails, and limits movement to essential places like the grocery store or doctor's offices.

Angelinos have seen a drastic change when out in public ... most people wear masks or some sort of face-covering device ... and social distancing signs are posted in grocery store checkout lines.

The initiative has obviously been a major hit to the restaurants and local businesses, though many have launched carry-out food programs to continue some sort of revenue stream.

The order had originally only been in place until April 19, but at the time, it was subject to extension.

A Nevada man is facing a federal charge for allegedly swiping a couple hundred surgical masks from a VA hospital -- so ya really gotta question his wardrobe choice for his mug shot.

Peter Lucas, a 35-year-old reported ex-Marine, got arrested at his home and appeared in court Wednesday for the alleged mask theft at the Ioannis A. Lougaris VA Medical Center in Reno.

Lucas is accused of stealing at least 4 boxes of surgical masks from supply carts -- containing 50 masks each -- by hiding them under his jacket before exiting the hospital. He's been hit with one count of theft of health care property.

According to legal docs ... surveillance cameras caught Lucas in the act last month between March 19 and March 23.

U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich says ... "We will not allow the theft of personal protective equipment to go  undeterred, endangering the safety of doctors, nurses, and other health professionals protecting our communities."

Law enforcement did allow him to keep a mask wrapped around his neck for his mug shot, though. Kinda weird he'd opt to leave it on ... considering what he's accused of doing.

Baseballs weren't the only set of balls Carlos Carrasco's toddler son hit during quarantine batting practice Wednesday ...

Here's video of the Cleveland Indians star pitcher taking a comebacker straight to the man-junk in a throwing sesh with his kid this week ... and we gotta say, it's funny as hell!!!

Watch the clip ... Cookie throws a little soft toss to Noah -- who hammers the ball straight towards Carlos' family jewels.

The MLB ace crumpled like a sack of potatoes ... but don't worry, he's fine -- and even joked after, "STAY HOME, IF YOU PLAY BASEBALL WITH YOU KID, BE CAREFUL PLEASE."

Carlos and Noah were able to laugh off the pain and get some more hacks in ... and it's pretty clear -- the baseball apple ain't exactly falling far from the tree!!

Of course, we've seen Noah pitch before too ... remember this video of the toddler adorably mimicking Carlos' signature windup?

Royal Caribbean Cruises is nothing more than a profiteering vessel to steal cash from nurses in a pandemic ... according to a nurse suing over a cruise canceled by COVID-19.

Jessica Mitchell just filed a class-action lawsuit Wednesday against Royal Caribbean Cruises and NURSECON at Sea, accusing the cruise line and floating convention of conning hard-working nurses out of their deposits for an event scrapped by the coronavirus.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Mitchell claims the NURSECON founder is plotting to steal the $2,578 cruise fee from each of the 1,500 nurses who were scheduled to attend before the outbreak scuttled everything.

In the docs, Mitchell says the money grab is particularly bad now, because nurses deserve support now more than ever as they battle COVID-19 on the front lines.

The nurses claim the cruise and convention have refused to grant any refunds despite the cancellation, and instead are pocketing the fees which were paid upfront and offering credit for a future convention which some think may not even happen for years.

In the suit, Mitchell claims the cruise and convention are using the pandemic to line their pockets, and she says there's no reason not to give nurses their money back.

As we first reported ... the voyage was axed due to the pandemic, and nurses were up in arms over the cruise allegedly refusing to grant refunds. However, at the time, Royal Caribbean told us, "Royal Caribbean has been extremely flexible with Nursecon and has provided them with the option to offer their guests a refund on their cruise fare plus taxes and fees, or a 125% future cruise credit."

Adding, "Royal Caribbean deeply appreciates the efforts of our nurses, doctors and health-care professionals working on the frontlines during this public health crisis, and we applaud their sacrifices to help protect our communities."

Mitchell wants nurses to get their money back with interest, plus damages.

Amazing moment from Steph Curry ... who found out about an ICU nurse on the front lines of the COVID-19 battle who wears his jersey for inspiration.

AND HE FACETIMED HER TO THANK HER!!

The video is awesome ... Steph hit up Shelby Delaney right before she started her shift at the Alta Bates Summit Medical Center in Oakland on Wednesday.

"I can’t thank God enough for what you’re doing and just the sacrifice, the selflessness and the way everybody’s coming together," Steph told her.

"Thank you so much for what you do, your heart and the inspiration you provide for everybody.”

Shelby got Steph's attention after she posted a photo on social media last week showing she wears his Warriors jersey under her scrubs fro inspiration during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I found myself feeling powerless and defeated," Shelby had written last week ... "It was in that moment that I knew I needed to summon my inner warrior. So I threw on my Steph jersey under my scrubs and started brainstorming how I could be part of the solution."

Steph clearly appreciated it -- and felt compelled to thank her personally.

Oh, and when he called ... she was still rockin' Curry gear -- all the way down to the shoes.

“I see you still have my jersey on,” Curry said.

Delany smiled -- and then thanked Steph.

"I wanted to thank you for how much you inspired me ...  especially when I first started my job here, it’s a really steep learning curve, you have two people that you’re trying to make sure they don’t die on shift, and a lot of tough stuff going on with family. There were times I wanted to quit, give up.”

"That’s when I started wearing the jersey. That was like, just my way of kind of gathering my strength, reminding myself I’ve got this."

After the call, Delany went to work at the hospital.

When Nike was handed the opportunity to get involved in the country's fight against coronavirus, there was only one way to respond -- just do it.

The Swoosh announced its factories are pivoting to make full-face shields and powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR) lenses to help healthcare workers in need.

Nike explained it's repurposing collar-padding from shoes, cords from apparel, like bags, and the plastic used to make the brand's signature Air soles to make the face shields.

... and we gotta admit, they look kinda cool, too.

“The full-face shields help protect healthcare workers’ faces and also help to prolong the length we can safely use a surgical or N95 mask," said Dr. Miko Enomoto, associate professor at the Oregon Health and Science University School of Medicine.

"Nike’s generous response to the COVID-19 crisis helps to instill an added layer of confidence and support for healthcare workers, that we can safely carry out the jobs we were born to do.”

As we previously reported ... New Balance also got into the mask-making production last week -- with hopes of making 100,000 a week.

Chris Cuomo is getting up close and personal about his battle with COVID-19 -- and the reason he's so intimate is because he wants folks to know they can fight and win.

The CNN anchor is still working and aired his x-ray Monday night during his show ... and Dr. Sanjay Gupta joined him to evaluate the state of Chris' lungs. Gupta says there's definite signs of inflammatory fluid build-up ... a tell-tale sign of coronavirus.

Chris passionately explained how he's doing everything he can at home to avoid going to the hospital and adding one more patient to an already-flooded and overworked healthcare system in crisis at the moment. Sounds like what he's doing -- on his doctor's advice -- might well be working.

He told viewers he's constantly moving -- getting up, laying on his side, stretching, talking, whatever -- to keep the virus on its toes, 'cause he says it's banking on people becoming sedentary and passive as it sets up shop in the body ... particularly in the chest.

A British actor known for playing Jesus in various films has the coronavirus and is extremely upset his country's quarantining rules are putting people at extreme risk.

Adam Bond is in a Malaysian hospital ... he's been there for weeks. Adam was filming his 7th movie in which he plays Jesus.

He must have felt something, because last month he asked to be tested, but he was refused. Adam persisted, and he says producers paid for a private test that came back positive. He was hospitalized, and he's going on 20-days in the facility.

Adam is clear ... he says if he didn't get tested he would have interacted with scores of people while shooting the movie, flown home and possibly infected people on the plane, and then, scariest of all, he has a flatmate with cancer and believes they would have died.

But Adam is most upset with the UK's policy of quarantining for 7 days. He's been in the hospital for 19 days with no clear end in sight.

Ok ... it was inevitable, right? Newborn twins have just been named ... Covid and Corona.

Preeti Verma gave birth to a boy (Covid) and a girl (Corona) and decided to name the twins after the virus, because they wanted "to spread happiness, not fear" ... the proud papa, Vimay Verma, tells TMZ.

The babies were born March 27th at the Ambedkar Memorial Hospital in Raipur, India. The mother told a newspaper in India that she had difficulty during the delivery so she and her husband wanted to make it "memorable." That they did.

Some people were shocked by the choices, but the couple vows they will not change the names of their newborns.

One thing you can say for sure ... Americans are united in their love and appreciation for the first responders, hospital doctors and nurses who are risking their lives to save others, and New Yorkers showed their emotions Friday night at eardrum-shattering levels.

NYC residents came out in force at around 7 PM and started a metal drumbeat ... banging pots and pans as they stood on their balconies or by their windows to show how they feel about their hospital heroes.

It's becoming a nightly tradition and, appropriately, it's getting louder and louder by the night.

The new movement, #ClapBecauseWeCare, has seen first responders in the city applauded and serenaded to thank them.

"WE WILL GET THROUGH THIS."

That's the writing on the wall -- or sky, in this case -- over West Hollywood ... an inspirational reminder as we all try to endure the coronavirus pandemic.

The skywriting appeared Friday afternoon as the plane spelled out the simple and uplifting sentence as Californians end their second full week under "safer at home" orders.

L..A. Mayor Eric Garretti is now requiring all residents to wear non-medical grade masks while out in public. NYC is doing the same. Strange and scary times, for sure ... but clearly, someone wanted to remind the masses this too shall pass.

Of course, it will pass much faster if we all stay home, and stop violating the guidelines -- like one rogue stand up paddleboarder.