When looking back through the years, people have faced many trails that have made them weak, or have made them stronger. We humans have been through wars, battles, the falls of kingdoms, and the fight to have rights; these are the events in which our ancestors went through that the next generation would never be able to understand. But, the one trail we seem to go through the most, are pandemics!
Merriam-Webster dictionary’s official definition for pandemic is: occurring over a wide geographic are and affecting an exceptionally high proportion of the population. That definition alone is enough to sum up the Coronavirus, also known as COVID-19. Detected in Wuhan China, the first sight of COVID-19 was reported by the WHO (World Health Organization) Country Office in China on December 31, 2019. The organization worked 24/7 to analyze date and help countries prepare for the unknown. Soon after, the outbreak was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concerns.
COVID-19, is a new disease from a large set of illnesses known as coronavirus. This virus is transmissible and can be spread easily from person to person, even before someone develops symptoms. It can be carried by talk, spitting, sneezing, and coughing, especially if these action were committed on surfaces. When we touch these surfaces, we can pick them up with our hands and transfer them to our eyes, mouth, and nose when we touch our faces.
In the month of March 2020, the CDC issued out guideline that allowed anyone to be tested for the virus, perviously, only those that have traveled to an outbreak area and who had close contact with people diagnosed with COVID-19 were tested. Next, the CDC warned the public against large gatherings in order to stop the spread of the virus and introducing it to new communities; some people were not taking this new coronavirus serious and continued to gather and meet even when warned. Last, the coronavirus was now presented in all 50 states. The first reported case was in West Virginia with only one person being invected, and what proceeded after that was the lockdown from state to state.
Ordered by the President Trump, government officials, and city mayors, people were ordered to practice social distancing and to keep 6ft away from each other. This order was especially given to the people of New York City, where it was reported that more than 15,000 people have been tested positive for the COVID-19, and that was estimated for roughly half of the infections in the country. And that is where our story will take us.
Woodhull Hospital, like many other hospital in New York, have dealing with the COVID-19 crisis. They face the challenges of providing test to the public, either for those that have it or think they might have it, at first, they did not provide the test and had to go through the struggle of transferring people to another hospital to be tested. But, regardless of the struggle, the nurses and doctors of Woodhull did take there time to tell their patients to be cautious.
Everyday, people are told what to and what not to do during the time of this pandemic. The two things they have been told to do the most is: keep your distance and to wash their hands. They are to clean their hands often, either with soap and water for 20 seconds or hand sanitizer that contains 60% alcohol. Next, they have to avoid close contact with people and keep their distance from them, at least 6ft. Last, people are told to cover their mouths when they cough and sneeze and to frequently clean and disinfect all surfaces that the touch and come in contact with.
As the months go by, the people of New York City are starting to feel the anxious tension and worry when facing this pandemic. Doctors, nurses, firefighters, and police are continuously working around the clock to keep the city safe and functioning. Nobody knows that better that residence nurse, Lileth P. Lashley.
Lileth Lashley, 60, has been working at Woodhull Hospital as a nurse for 30 years. She is an ambulatory nurse, a nurse that treats patients that seek routine medical care for acute and chronic illnesses as well as injuries, usually outside of a hospital setting. She has seen stab wounds, gunshot wounds, people with seizure, people intubated, and people dying, she has even experienced an epidemic. But she has never in her history career of nursing seen or been apart of a pandemic like this.
Everyday, Ms. Lashley deals with patients with the coronavirus that are placed in the emergency care the moment they arrive. Next, she must also help with the testing of the virus in makeshift tents placed outside of the hospital.
As you can see, doctors and nurse must be geared up in in protection equipment. It is a must for them to wear their face mask, isolation gowns and suits, and protective eyewear. Since the beginning of the virus, they have been working nonstop to the point where their protective wear leave indentations on their skins. Although they risk being exposed to COVID-19, they show everyday they do not care, the took the hippocratic oath to to do no harm and and to save as many people as they could.
Unfortunately, Ms. Lashley was only able to assist, not actually administrate any form of the test provided. But, she does tell us that doctors come and go, in and out of the tents, and are cheered on by passing police cars and given free food by firefighters who congratulate them for all their hard work.
We are now in the Month of May, and there is no news being given to public about a cure for COVID-19 or when we will be able to leave our homes again. The city of New York is being cleaned by its’ people and Mayor Bill de Blasio is constantly worried for the city’s inhabitants, and the only thing that we as people of the United States can do is stay inside, wash our hands, and repeat.
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