COVID CORNER

COVID CORNER

Defiance

I’m sure most have seen the pictures of Americans defying the virus. They have decided to toss away their masks, jump into crowded pools with their umbrella drinks, yell at essential workers who ask politely to follow the guidelines during this pandemic. Cringe-worthy.

It’s an odd time in the course of this virus. Everyone is tired of losing money, of being cooped up at home, of being dictated to by the microscopic droplets. They are teeny little things, and we Americans do not do well with the tiny telling us what to do. Just saying.

At work, on the COVID wing, I stood in front of the patient’s closed door: airborne, droplet precautions notice in big red letters. I asked  the nurse for the PAPR because the hospital issued N95 doesn’t seal like it should around my face. 

Secretly I carry the N95 in my pocket anyway. Nurse said no PAPR because there are no virus particulates floating in the air. Oh. She turned away to focus on the computer screen. 

I took the N95 out of my pocket, put it on, covered it up with my regular mask, put on my plastic gown, flimsy face shield, etc... Nurse saw that I had on the regular mask and gave me the thumbs up.

I entered the room, and the ill patient was coughing. Lots of coughing.

And so, I kept entering the room. Got a job to do. I guess you can say, I too challenged the authority of this microscopic spiky dictator.