It has been more than three months since the announcement of the first-ever confirmed COVID-19 case. Yet, the numbers of people infected rises daily, so the coronavirus pandemic keeps the entire world shocked, saddened, afraid and in panic.

Yet, apart from its devastating consequences, the guidelines that we have been given are not hard-to-follow at all, especially if we compare them to all that the staff at hospitals has to endure on a daily basis.

These people do not wear capes, but are our modern heroes, who risk their own lives and the lives of their loved ones just to keep us safe, and save more lives. Doctors, nurses, and technicians, they all remain on the front lines until they make it safe for us to leave our homes and enjoy normal life again.

They often lack proper equipment, work in crowded emergency rooms, see families grieving over their infected relatives, crying mothers not being able to visit their sons, people losing the battle every day..

The situation, described by a doctor at a major New York Hospital is “a petri dish.” Many of the health care workers end up infected by the fast-spreading virus themselves. And all they are asking from us in return is to remain at home.

One nurse working in a New York hospital wrote:

“I am begging you to stay home. Please. I cannot stay home and if you do not listen this will not end. It looks like a movie but it’s real life and I cannot believe it’s real.” 

No one is more at risk than the healthcare workers these days. They don’t get the chance to work remotely, so they continue to be out there, sacrificing their own lives.

These days, images of tired and stressed doctors, nurses, and other medical workers have gone viral online, with people expressing their appreciation and gratitude for what they do for all of us.

These pictures reveal the worse side of it all- the horror behind the emergency doors. These people have their faces bruised from wearing their masks during the endless shifts, and every day, they go home hungry, disappointed, drained, sad, and in pains.

As one of them explained it:

 “Life as a front line during this period ain’t easy, to be honest it sucks. You kiss your love ones good bye before heading to “war zone”. 

Dr. Anna Yaffee, a director of Global Health at Emory University, shared images of their “brave and committed first liners” to remind people that these people are working “ tirelessly around the clock to provide lifesaving supportive care to those who are sick.”

The following pictures reveal real-life heroes, ones that keep confronting the virus daily, and they will break your heart:

• One doctor, Nicola Sgarbi, wrote that he took this selfie after 13 hours in ICU, to show the consequences of the exhausting work.

• Another nurse wrote that she has worked for 13 years, but she has never seen “ anything Like What Is Happening Now in Our Healthcare System. “

• “Not only are all of us fighting to survive the contagion itself, we are fighting for protection from an industry that failed to adequately prepare us for this pandemic. Everyone is scrambling. Our skills and expertise are being put to the test in every way imaginable right now. And it’s only just getting started.”

• A Czech doctor, after a long shift, explained that it is overwhelming, as they don’t sleep and don’t eat anymore.

• “This Is What You Look Like After Wearing An N95 Mask All Day. We Don’t Have Enough Of Anything. Help Us Help You.”

• Anesthesiologist Dr. John Henao ran out of personal protective equipment, so he had to create his own one- a CO2 sampling nasal cannula under a regular plastic bag sealed over his head, and taped securely around his neck.

• “Just Finished A 12 Hour Shift Swabbing Symptomatic Covid19 Patients at Our Drive Thru Testing Site In Cleveland. We Collectively Swabbed 629 People”

• A woman shared the photo of her 71-year-old mom, working hard and screening people all day long.

• Dr. Joy Vink from NYC has no proper personal protective gear

• “I’m Not Afraid When I’m At Work. I’m Doing What I Was Trained to Do. I’m Afraid When We Run Out of Resources—Supplies And Staff.”

• “Covid19 is real and it’s here. Stay home, wash your hands and stop buying all the things that healthcare workers need to do their job. When we don’t have what we need to take care of you, we too will become ill… then who’s left to take care of you and your loved ones?”
• At a time of concern, exhaustion, and fear, protective equipment additionally causes heat and injuries to wearers.

• “This Guy Is My Guy and He Is an Emergency Room Doctor”- wrote one woman. She explained that her husband, together with his team, have to make devastating and heartbreaking decisions all the time, as life “ how we have known it won’t look the same over the next several weeks. “ She explained that he sometimes comes home too tired to speak, sometimes he needs a talk. Yet, even though she claims he does not like much attention, “ now more than ever he and every other frontline worker needs to be told they are our heroes.”

Sources:
www.awesomeinventions.com
aworkstation.com
flopmee.com