Although COVID-19 has impacted people all around the globe, it’s the healthcare sector that has been having the most difficult time. Doctors, nurses, and other medical workers are spending every waking hour at the hospital treating patients and even losing their lives in the process.
And, while we know the gist of the situation, we don’t really know what healthcare workers are really going through on a daily basis. According to the Washington Post, an emergency room doctor from New York has elaborated on how a day looks like in the hospital amid the novel coronavirus outbreak. Dr. Craig Spencer, who shared his routine, is the director of global health in Emergency Medicine at New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center, reports India Today. He had previously treated and survived Ebola. Have a look at his gut-wrenching post.
The New York-based doctor initially shared the overwhelming rise in Coronavirus patients in a week:
The difference in the ER from last week to this week is stark.
Last Sunday: a few #COVIDー19 + patients mixed w/ the chest pains, abdominal pains, etc.
Today: overwhelming majority are #COVIDー19 suspected/confirmed. Very little of anything else.
This week will be tough.
— Craig Spencer MD MPH (@Craig_A_Spencer) March 22, 2020
He updated people that he spent 13 hours in the emergency room (ER) as a majority of his patients tested positive for the deadly virus:
Finally home after 13 hours in the ER. Today >90% of my patients were confirmed or likely #COVID19. Many really sick, some in their 30s like me. The sirens on otherwise empty NYC streets are unending & haunting. I’m tired. But really honored to be back in the ER in the morning.
— Craig Spencer MD MPH (@Craig_A_Spencer) March 23, 2020
And, as several people asked him what a day in the ER looks like amid the pandemic, he decided to share the details with everyone. He began by saying how he wakes up at 6:30 to prepare coffee for the entire day as he works long shifts:
Wake up at 6:30am. Priority is making a big pot of coffee for the whole day, because the place by the hospital is closed. The Starbucks too. It's all closed.
On the walk, it feels like Sunday. No one is out. Might be the freezing rain. Or it's early. Regardless, that's good.
— Craig Spencer MD MPH (@Craig_A_Spencer) March 24, 2020
He goes on to say, how the streets are all quiet but when he reaches the hospital reality sinks in. The first thing he does is wear a mask:
Walk in for your 8am shift: Immediately struck by how the calm of the early morning city streets is immediately transformed. The bright fluorescent lights of the ER reflect off everyone's protective goggles. There is a cacophony of coughing. You stop. Mask up. Walk in.
— Craig Spencer MD MPH (@Craig_A_Spencer) March 24, 2020
He then relieves the previous team, who updates him about their concerns for ailing patients:
You take signout from the previous team, but nearly every patient is the same, young & old:
Cough, shortness of breath, fever.
They are really worried about one patient. Very short of breath, on the maximum amount of oxygen we can give, but still breathing fast.
— Craig Spencer MD MPH (@Craig_A_Spencer) March 24, 2020
The medical professional assesses the situation and then informs the patient’s family of the dire situation:
You immediately assess this patient. It's clear what this is, and what needs to happen. You have a long and honest discussion with the patient and family over the phone. It's best to put her on life support now, before things get much worse. You're getting set up for that, but…
— Craig Spencer MD MPH (@Craig_A_Spencer) March 24, 2020
However, before he can even register the sad news, another sick patient comes in who has to be put on a ventilator as well. And, all this happened early in the morning:
You're notified of another really sick patient coming in. You rush over. They're also extremely sick, vomiting. They need to be put on life support as well. You bring them back. Two patients, in rooms right next to each other, both getting a breathing tube. It's not even 10am yet
— Craig Spencer MD MPH (@Craig_A_Spencer) March 24, 2020
The rest of the day is no different as he continues to treat extremely sick patients:
For the rest of your shift, nearly every hour, you get paged:
Stat notification: Very sick patient, short of breath, fever. Oxygen 88%.
Stat notification: Low blood pressure, short of breath, low oxygen.
Stat notification: Low oxygen, can't breath. Fever.
All day…
— Craig Spencer MD MPH (@Craig_A_Spencer) March 24, 2020
He mentions how the day goes by without drinking much water, as he is afraid to remove his mask. His protection gear against the deadly virus:
Sometime in the afternoon you recognize you haven't drank any water. You're afraid to take off the mask. It's the only thing that protects you. Surely you can last a little longer – in West Africa during Ebola, you spent hours in a hot suit without water. One more patient…
— Craig Spencer MD MPH (@Craig_A_Spencer) March 24, 2020
He says how he hurriedly has a late lunch after taking precautionary measures:
By late afternoon, you need to eat. Restaurant across the street is closed. Right, everything is closed. But thankfully the hospital cafeteria is open. You grab something, wash your hands (twice), cautiously take off your mask, & eat as fast as you can. Go back. Mask up. Walk in.
— Craig Spencer MD MPH (@Craig_A_Spencer) March 24, 2020
He goes on to say how every patient is a COVID-19 patient for healthcare workers as they always wear the protective gear to be safe:
Nearly everyone you see today is the same. We assume everyone is #COVIDー19. We wear gowns, goggles, and masks at every encounter. All day. It's the only way to be safe. Where did all the heart attacks and appendicitis patients go? Its all COVID.
— Craig Spencer MD MPH (@Craig_A_Spencer) March 24, 2020
When his shift ends, he too informs fellow doctors about his concerns for patients and also for the lack of proper safety gear and ventilators:
When your shift ends, you sign out to the oncoming team. It's all #COVIDー19. Over the past week, we've all learned the signs – low oxygen, lymphopenia, elevated D-dimer.
You share concerns of friends throughout the city without PPE. Hospitals running out of ventilators.
— Craig Spencer MD MPH (@Craig_A_Spencer) March 24, 2020
And as doctors can’t afford to be negligent, he sanitizes everything from his phone to his bag:
Before you leave, you wipe EVERYTHING down. Your phone. Your badge. Your wallet. Your coffee mug. All of it. Drown it in bleach. Everything in a bag. Take no chances.
Sure you got it all??? Wipe is down again. Can't be too careful.
— Craig Spencer MD MPH (@Craig_A_Spencer) March 24, 2020
After the long shift, when he removes his mask he feels naked and exposed. He walks home to destress as the quiet streets are unlike the chaotic hospitals:
You walk out and take off your mask. You feel naked and exposed. It's still raining, but you want to walk home. Feels safer than the subway or bus, plus you need to decompress.
The streets are empty. This feels nothing like what is happening inside. Maybe people don't know???
— Craig Spencer MD MPH (@Craig_A_Spencer) March 24, 2020
After reaching home, he resists his urge to hug his daughter as safety first. He takes a bath and then spends some quality time with his family:
You get home. You strip in the hallway (it's ok, your neighbors know what you do). Everything in a bag. Your wife tries to keep your toddler away, but she hasn't seen you in days, so it's really hard. Run to the shower. Rinse it all away. Never happier. Time for family.
— Craig Spencer MD MPH (@Craig_A_Spencer) March 24, 2020
He then reflects on the day and realizes how terrible the situation is:
You reflect on the fact that it's really hard to understand how bad this is – and how bad its going to be – if all you see are empty streets.
Hospitals are nearing capacity. We are running out of ventilators. Ambulance sirens don't stop.
— Craig Spencer MD MPH (@Craig_A_Spencer) March 24, 2020
The doctor voices his concern about how more people might be infected with coronavirus:
Everyone we see today was infected a week ago, or more. The numbers will undoubtedly skyrocket overnight, as they have every night the past few days. More will come to the ER. More will be stat notifications. More will be put on a ventilator.
— Craig Spencer MD MPH (@Craig_A_Spencer) March 24, 2020
He then emphasizes the importance of self-isolation. He says social distancing is the only way we can slow the spread of the virus:
We were too late to stop this virus. Full stop. But we can slow it's spread. The virus can't infect those it never meets. Stay inside. Social distancing is the only thing that will save us now. I don't care as much about the economic impact as I do about our ability to save lives
— Craig Spencer MD MPH (@Craig_A_Spencer) March 24, 2020
The Ebola survivor says he fears COVID-19. He urges people to stay indoors as he promises to fight the deadly virus for our safety:
You might hear people saying it isn't real. It is.
You might hear people saying it isn't bad. It is.
You might hear people saying it can't take you down. It can.
I survived Ebola. I fear #COVIDー19.
Do your part. Stay home. Stay safe.
And every day I'll come to work for you
— Craig Spencer MD MPH (@Craig_A_Spencer) March 24, 2020
We shouldn’t let medical, transport & delivery workers’ sacrifices and hard work go to waste. Please stay indoors to help fight Coronavirus.