"I don't love selfies.
Yesterday, though, I took this photo. After 13 hours in ICU.
I am not a hero. I am a normal person"

"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."

"We can't anymore. We don't sleep, we don't eat"

"He, like most of us, are currently working under the assumption that most people are Covid19 positive and asymptomatic, but in order to save our dwindling supplies of PPE, are only using them for known cases of Covid19. In order to safely intubate all patients he had to jerry rig his own gear. He put on a CO2 sampling nasal cannula. He then put on a regular old plastic bag on over his head with a seal (you can see he taped it tightly around his neck). He ran the oxygen at 10 L/min. He sampled his CO2 to monitor. He did this for 10 min (long enough to intubate a patient). THIS is what we have to do because we have no PPE. I am horrified. I cannot even begin to know if this is safe and cannot recommend it. But, sure, we’ll be safe with bandanas, scarves, and homemade cloth masks. (That, folks, is sarcasm). For my friends who are fellow physicians, please be safe, and for those of you who are not, please call or tweet or write your elected officials to demand that we are given adequate equipment in order to treat you safely"

"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”. U wear every level of protection needed to ensure u do not be contacted with any of this virus and to not bring the virus back to the loved ones at home. You wear face shield/ goggles / N95 some even wear PAPR at work, trust me it ain’t easy to breath wearing any of those (N95 & PAPR) and with all that protection on, u work quick and fast, catching your breath with every step u make because LIVE MATTERS.

After finishing your shift sweaty with tiredness, aching back, sore calf, painful ankles. you found out that not only your Annual Leaves are frozen, you are not even allowed to leave the country as a front line staff and worst of all is when you have to cancel your wedding reception because both you and your significant other are front liners and you both are needed to fight the “war” because LIVE MATTERS.

Now after work I shower and wear back your uniform with pride, u take public transportation just to go home and rest because tomorrow is another for “war” but when u board the train or bus. People say u bring germs/ virus with u, that u are infecting other people and that u are INCONSIDERATE but u just be quite and leave the train or bus because u are tired after work to explain ur situation.

Now u tell us how are we suppose to feel or react?
Are we not human like everyone else?
Don’t we have love ones too?
Don’t we wish to go on a holiday too?

All got to say is,
I am a front line staff and this is my story."

"She's has no choice but to "get creative." Forget face shields - she is working in SWIM GOGGLES...our Health Care Heroes deserve better"

"She is putting her health on the line to test patients, get them the care they need, and do what she can to prevent community spread and the overburdening of our hospitals."

"Today, my husband will be trained on how to don & doff - put on and take off a full protective suit. He will learn how to use and remove his gloves, masks, & eye shield protection. His mask will be tested. His gear will be poked and prodded with him in it. His nerves will be tested too but, he won’t fuss. People are sick and this his job. My husband is also part of a medical covid_19 team that will be doing everything & giving their everything to ensure as many people as possible come out on the other side of this crisis. He, along with the every other extraordinary nurse & frontline worker knows one thing is for sure - life how we have known it won’t look the same over the next several weeks. He will have to make devestating and heartbreaking decisions. He will be super exposed to the sickest patients. Some nights he will come home and need to talk. Other nights he won’t want to speak at all and that’s ok because I will be there. I’m so grateful I can be.. My husband does not like accolades or much attention, hence the very few pics of him on IG. Though now more than ever he and every other frontline worker needs to be told they are our heroes. Please do the same. In France while in lockdown, social media users have launched an initiative to show gratitude & support we applaud To every doctor & to all the other frontline heroes thank you. Thank you so much for your dedication & determination to fight this virus and to help those who need you now and need you the most"

"You develop headaches from the straps, pain all over your face, all of which you can’t touch till you de-robe. I still have marks and pain this morning.
Please all stay at home and do what is required. Chances are you will be ok but you might pass it onto someone else. We don’t need more patients!!!"

"I feel broken - and we are only at the start. I am begging people, please please do social distancing and self isolation"

"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?"

"If you were to wear an N95 mask properly for about 5-8 minutes in a patient’s room to let’s say take your patient to the bathroom safely, administer medications, or do an assessment, you’d probably have marks similar to these on your face⁣
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Not only are you left with these temporary marks, but you quickly experience difficulty breathing after the first few minutes of applying the mask. You also start to heat up from the layers of gown, gloves, and eye shield⁣
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...so here’s a massive thank you to the ICU nurses, intensivists, and RTs who are wearing this PPE for an upwards of 30-40 minutes, if not longer, during invasive (aerosol-generating) bedside procedures. Whether they’re dealing with an extubation or are all hands on deck during a code, they deserve a huge shout out for the physical exhaustion they endure when providing the safest & best care possible to their patients
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*Disclaimer - this photo was taken at home after wearing one of my Dad’s masks that he uses for work (he works in settings with fresh paint, dust, sanding, and welding)"

"Not sure can do nationally because not enough masks. Need more than proclamations - need factories converted and running"