While most of us stay at home practicing social distancing, medical workers are on the frontlines of the war against the coronavirus.
Recently, a number of healthcare workers posted pictures of themselves after intense shifts of care for their COVID-19 patients. They can be seen covered from head to toe in protective gear, with heavy protective goggle masks on their faces caused by long-hour shifts.
Many of them have said they don’t consider themselves to be ‘heroes’ but want the world to understand the severity of the situation.
More than 372,000 people from all over the world have been infected with the virus with over 16,000 who have lost their lives so far.
Life-Liberty-Equality shared a post on their Twitter page featuring a number of photos of Italian doctors and nurses on the frontlines of the epidemic.
Some of the Italian doctors and nurses after long shifts in ICU. The marks of pure dedication, selflessness and bravery in the face of a hidden and relatively unknown enemy! Bravo! pic.twitter.com/Vl3AL9jFjY
— Life-Liberty-Equality – #FBPE #REU 🇪🇺 (@Macerty) March 23, 2020
Doctor Nicola Sgarbi from Italy posted a photo of himself on Facebook on March 13 after spending a 13-hour shift at the ICU treating patients for COVID-19.
‘I don’t love selfies. Yesterday, though, I took this photo. After 13 hours in ICU after taking off all my protective devices, I took a selfie,’ he wrote on Facebook.
‘I am not and I don’t feel like a hero. I am a normal person, who loves his job and who, now more than ever, is proud and proud to do it by giving all himself on the forefront lines together with other wonderful people (doctors, nurses, technicians, cleaners).’
Non amo i selfie.Ieri, però, questa foto me la sono scattata. Dopo 13 ore in Terapia Intensiva, dopo essermi tolto…
Posted by Nicola Sgarbi on Saturday, March 14, 2020
The post went viral and has accumulated more than 240,000 likes and over 74,000 shares.
‘I mainly took the photo for two reasons. Firstly, to send it to my partner, to tell her that I had finished my shift at work and that I was on my way home, slightly bruised,’ Sgarbi told CNN.
‘Secondly, to show it to my 1-year-old daughter when she will have grown up. I will be telling her about this moment.’
Nurse Sherry Dong, 25, who works in the ICU at Johns Hopkins Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland has also shared a picture.
In the photo, she and her colleague can be seen wearing full protective gear.
‘Greetings from the front lines of COVID-19 at Johns Hopkins Hospital ICU!’ Sherry wrote.
By Monday evening, it received more than 2,200 comments and several Reddit ‘awards’.
‘My heart is grateful and my mind is heavy seeing medical professionals all over the world putting themselves at risk battling against this outbreak,’ she told CNN.
‘I think the medical community has found various ways of coping through social media outlets.’
Sherry also made a request to people who are in possession of any protective equipment to donate it to hospitals as they fear supplies are running out.
At the March 23 White House press briefing, response coordinator for the coronavirus task force, Doctor Deborah Brinx, shared information regarding specimens specified by laboratories.
She stressed the importance of social distancing in order to protect the most vulnerable among us.
What are your thoughts on the coronavirus epidemic? Let us know by joining the discussion in the comments and please share this article to let others know of the brave work of our doctors and nurses out there.
Source: Daily Mail
