Moving messages from frontline coronavirus healthcare workers that caught our attention on social media
Coronavirus health care workers have taken to social media to spread the word on the battle taking place against coronavirus. From moving accounts of life on the frontline to emotional pleas to wear masks, hand wash and practise social distancing — watch their messages here.
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They’re on the frontline, treating some of the sickest patients in COVID-19 wards around the globe — these are the healthcare heroes who have caught our attention on social media for their handwork and moving messages.
ABBEY FISTROVIC
Royal Melbourne Hospital clinical nurse specialist
Abbey’s powerful message for Victorians to stay home, wear a mask and social distance took social media by storm in late July. Her message shared details of how the coronavirus pandemic had changed her work significantly, and detailed how resilient frontline emergency workers have been to ensure everyone gets the help they need. Abbey’s message was shared by Premier Daniel Andrews on Twitter, liked by 8000 people and retweeted 3000 times.
If you only watch one thing today, please make it this message from Abbey – a Clinical Nurse Specialist at @TheRMH ED. pic.twitter.com/KuOmzOzZl7
— Dan Andrews (@DanielAndrewsMP) July 23, 2020
GRACE CURRIE
Intensive care nurse Grace Currie, a colleague of Abbey Fistrovic, shared a photo of face markings caused by wearing often uncomfortable PPE. Grace was frustrated to hear so many people complaining about wearing light masks for brief periods, while she and her colleagues experience pressure injuries and bruising from wearing N95 masks and face shields. Grace often felt sore from PPE for days after her shift.
“Seeing people in the community complain about their masks that they have to wear for half an hour to go to the shops is a little bit disheartening when our masks actually cause us physical injuries, just to keep us and our patients safe,” she told 7:30.
"Seeing people in the community complain about their masks...is a little bit disheartening"
— The Royal Melbourne Hospital (@TheRMH) August 3, 2020
Our nurses shared what it's like to wear a mask all shift to @abcnews. Read more: https://t.co/1mwO5H8t4p
EMILY MORRIS
Royal Melbourne Hospital nurse
The ‘young and healthy’ emergency nurse experienced unusual aching in her legs before she was diagnosed with COVID-19 last month. Emily Morris, 32, was ‘absolutely devastated’ that she’d contracted the virus. “I think that, as a health care worker, there is a little bit of shame and stigma around being diagnosed as COVID positive,’ she told 7:30.
Since being diagnosed, she’s been ‘knocked about’ in a way she never thought possible and has had trouble eating and drinking.
“As a healthcare worker there is a little bit of shame and stigma around being diagnosed as COVID-positive.†There have been at least 719 cases of COVID-19 reported in healthcare workers in Victoria. We talk to some of them. #abc730 @HanSinclair @LauraFrancis9 #coronavirus pic.twitter.com/Y5IqCgoTs5
— abc730 (@abc730) July 27, 2020
SAM MARTIN AND SARAH ROBSON
Royal Women’s Hospital midwife and nurse
Melbourne couple Sam Martin and Sarah Robson work as a midwife and nurse at the Royal Women’s Hospital. Sam suspected he caught coronavirus through a community transmission and then passed it onto Sarah.
The diagnosis was traumatic for the healthcare workers, who both spent time in COVID wards.
“This weakness washes over your body and you just know, ‘I’m not getting enough oxygen right now’,” Sam told 7.30. “I got up and basically just collapsed to the floor.”
Sarah struggled with chest pain, shortness of breath and overall weakness.
SYNDI LANE
Mercy Care, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, US
Trauma Nurse
US nurse Syndi Lane attracted global attention for sharing an image on Instagram of her red and marked face after wearing PPE for 13 hours.
“I broke down and cried today. I cried of exhaustion, of defeat. Because after 4 years of being an ER nurse, I suddenly feel like I know nothing,” she wrote.
“Because my face hurts after wearing an N95 for 13 f***ing hours, which happens to be the same N95 I wore yesterday for 12.5 hours, and the same one from all last week.”
The post received 1.2 million likes on Instagram and had 433 comments.
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