This Photo Of An Exhausted Italian Nurse Is An Eye-Opener To The COVID-19 Crisis In Italy
A photo of an Italian nurse slumped over her desk is proof of the mental and physical toll it is taking on them. The nurse in the photo is Elena Pagliarini who works in the northen region of Lombardy - the worst-hit city by the COVID-19 pandemic. Italy has recorded over 1400 deaths and 21000 infections till now.
As the number of COVID-19-infected people continues to go up, we can only imagine how daunting it must be, for the people on the front lines - doctors and nurses who are working hard day and night, to quarantine and cure people.
Health officials are possibly most at risk of contracting the virus from a patient, and a photo of an Italian nurse slumped over her desk is proof of the mental and physical toll it is taking on them. The photo was shared by Francesca Mangiatordi on Facebook. The nurse in the photo is Elena Pagliarini, who works in the northen region of Lombardy - the worst-hit city by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Facebook
According to AFP, Italy has recorded over 1,400 deaths and 21,000 infections till now. A quarter of the country's ICU beds are filled in by those who are infected with the virus. Fortunately, Lombardy is home to one of the world's best health systems, and health officials are working day and night to help those who are suffering from the illness.
Pagliarini, the nurse in the photograph told the Corriere della Sera newspaper, an Italian newspaper, "On one hand I was annoyed to see my photo everywhere, I was ashamed of showing my weakness. But then I was happy because I got beautiful messages from people who empathised with my story."
AFP
Since they are also human, treating the patients is not the only thing on their mind and having to stay away from their own families is taking a toll on them too. Doctors and nurses are not able to meet their family members for the fear of infecting them with the virus. The only solace is that they're able to talk to their families using video calls, but that's not nearly enough.
Pagliarini also spoke about how the exhaustion isn't just physical but also mental. She said, "I actually don't feel physically tired, I can work for 24 hours straight if it's necessary but I won't hide the fact that right now I'm anxious because I'm fighting an enemy that I don't know."
AFP
The world needs to bow down to those who are selflessly working towards putting an end to this pandemic that has taken over our lives. These people are the true heroes of our time.
