Spread Thanks Not Viruses

My latest post on Instagram talks about Pandemic Fatigue - the feeling of becoming desensitized to the news, jaded to the world, and tired of the COVID19 crisis. By self-isolating in our own 6-foot radius bubble, we are prone to fatigue, irritability, depression, mood swings, and more. I provided a full list of ways to cope with this in my post below.

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A post shared by Dr. Alyssa Cole, DO⚕️ (@doctor.cole)

In March, many of us healthcare professionals were praised as heroes. However, since then, we have been subjected to unfounded criticisms, baseless lies, and false accusations. Attempts have been made by the news to discredit our credentials and devalue our efforts as we continue to work tirelessly to prevent the spread of infection.

Despite this, I have received so many overwhelmingly positive responses from followers, friends, and family. The support has drowned out all the negative comments and backlash as well as bolstered our confidence that we can and will fight this disease. Pfizer and BioNTech both filed with the FDA for emergency use authorization of their COVID19 vaccine candidate. This brings hope and promise to what has felt like a neverending lockdown but does not change our current situation. We must continue adhering to safety measures including wearing a mask, social distancing, and washing our hands. The CDC has released a statement advising against traveling for the holidays.

Healthcare systems are already strained with several at maximum capacity. Words like "intubation" and "ventilators" are now common headlines on news outlets. Even with being household names, the majority of the general public does not understand the gravity of what these medical terms mean. When COVID19 cases are severe enough, patients are admitted to the hospital, and, in some cases, intensive care units, where they can be closely monitored.

If these patients cannot maintain their airway, further intervention is warranted. This includes intubation and ventilation. Their oxygen levels are dropping so low (termed hypoxia) and/or they are unable to eliminate carbon dioxide effectively. As a result, a tube is placed down their windpipe (trachea), which is hooked up to a machine (ventilator) used to pump air into their lungs.

This in and of itself can leave patients prone to additional complications, from hospital-acquired pneumonia, blood clots, delirium, deconditioning/severe weakness as muscles atrophy from disuse, and more. In some cases, patients require an additional intervention called ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation), which can help replace the function of the heart and lungs if necessary. With limited resources, including ventilators, hospitals will soon be unable to support the rising number of cases let alone treat patients for other medical conditions.

That is why we as healthcare workers are not just asking, we are begging for people to protect their loved ones this holiday season by not traveling. My colleagues and I have already had to make so many sacrifices this year, including not seeing our friends or family. But together we can conquer this.

This is not the year to get everything we want, it is the year to appreciate everything we have. Give thanks to one another, especially to the front-line workers who are making sacrifices every day. Acknowledge the strength we have as a community and as a nation today in order to shape a better, safer, and healthier tomorrow.