This archive report was first published on 23 May 2020.
Coronavirus Live Updates: Healthcare Workers Share Emotional Stories of Covid-19 Pandemic ¶
Published on May 23, 2020
Healthcare workers at St. John's hospital in [location] have shared emotional stories of the Covid-19 pandemic, describing the trauma and stress they've experienced while treating patients.
Dr. Lee, the director of the Emergency Department, recalled the first night he worked during the pandemic, when 10 people died in front of him. He described the scene as 'a lot' and said that he was never trained for such a scenario.
'I'm the first line of defense,' Dr. Lee said. 'I'm the director of the Emergency Department. How are you? My name is Dr. Lee, OK?'
He also shared a story about a 72-year-old Polish lady who was admitted to the hospital with shortness of breath and fever. Despite being in critical condition, the lady was concerned about a broken tooth and asked Dr. Lee to wrap it for her. Dr. Lee knew that the lady would not survive, but he still wrapped the tooth and gave her a plastic bag to keep it in.
'I knew, as I was wrapping that tooth, you're not going home. You're going to be dead by tomorrow,' Dr. Lee said. 'And I said,
