As the evening rolls in, I get a text message from my mom asking me to open the garage for her so she and my dad can enter the house safely, without contaminating anything or anyone. My siblings and I say our hellos, giving both of them an “air hug” six feet away. After disinfecting their things, putting their scrubs straight to the washer, and showering, both isolate themselves in separate rooms upstairs.
My mom and dad, both coming back from the hospital, had just experienced another day in battle. And this has been my family’s reality for days now, making it somewhat normal.
Thousands of doctors and nurses nationwide are on the front lines of the war against COVID-19. Currently, in Florida, there are more than 22,000 cases alone. Mass shortages of protective gear arise due to the contagious nature of the virus. According to the Miami Herald, “Florida hospitals need more than two million N95 masks, half a million gowns, and gloves, and 150,000 PPE protection kits delivered on a continuing basis.”
With these extreme shortages, it continues to worry not only medical workers but people like me, who have family members that are medical workers.
Knowing that you have family on the front lines of this virus, sacrificing their lives is terrifying. The ‘front liners’ of this virus whether medical related or not, are in the outdoors all day, exposed to the danger. In my case, my dad, working as an ER nurse is the first line of contact. When at home, he wears a mask every day. Since he is isolated from all of us, we don’t see him very often as we used to.
Social distancing has definitely taken a toll on our family and it is one of the devastating sacrifices we have to endure. Not being able to hold your family close in these times of uncertainty and hardship is painful. However, seeing them on the front lines inspires you. It makes you more proud of who they are and what they do.
For anyone who says this virus is not severe as it seems, it is. It is real and it does not care who you are. Big or small, we all have a part in this crisis. Stay home.
