(The below exchange details Dr. Choos personal experience and perspective.
She is not speaking on behalf of her organization.)
Below are her answers.
Getty / Alvis Upitis / Aleksandr Zubkov / skaman306 / Morgan Johnson
SELF: Whats a typical day like for you lately?
How has your day-to-day work in the E.R.
changed in the past month?
SELF: Whats the general mood like at work right now?
How are you and your coworkers handling this all emotionally?
:People are scaredin most ways we are like everyone else, concerned for our families and communities.
But at the same time, Im seeing people demonstrating a lot of courage and commitment.
SELF: What steps are you taking in your personal life to stay safe and keep your family safe?
:Before each shift, I remove my rings and other jewelry and double-check my nails are super short.
Ive started leaving my stethoscope and white coat in my office.
Anything that can carry virus that can go, goes.
After each shift I have an elaborate routine.
I wipe down everythingmy badge, phone, penswith disinfecting wipes.
When I get home, I avoid my kids and put dirty clothes directly into the wash.
I go into the shower and wash thoroughly and change again before I hug anyone.
Some of us have already lost colleagues to the disease.
Households with single parents and those where both parents are health care workers are feeling extra stressed.
SELF: You started a campaign to raise awareness about how doctors dont have sufficient PPE.
First, can you explain what PPE is and why its so important?
SELF: Why are there PPE shortages?
But face masks arent things hospitals keep a deep supply of around.
Much of the supply is manufactured in China, where they had an increased demand during their COVID-19 surge.
And then, of course, there was suddenly a worldwide demand as the virus spread.
SELF: What sorts of compromises are health care professionals already making in the face of PPE shortages?
How does that make you and your colleagues feel?
:We are shifting standards based on availability.
For some situations where we might normally wear face masks, we are going without.
SELF: Whats the risk of reusing face masks, or downgrading the kind of mask youre using?
SELF: What happens if we run out of PPE entirely?
SELF: How can people help health care professionals get the PPE that they need?
Can you explain (with real-world examples, if possible) why social distancing is absolutely critical right now?
Its hard to make the decision to socially distance when the specter of illness is distant and abstract.
And many cases will be mild.
SELF: Is there anything else you want people to understand about the current crisis?
:This is one of those circumstances where every single person has a role and responsibility.
