On the way back to my car, I was stopped by a random guy (I didn't ask why he was breaking lockdown), who said 'You're a brave man, thank you'. Many Instagram posts seem to share the same sentiment - the public being appreciative of healthcare workers risking their own safety during the COVID-19 pandemic.
While it's nice to be appreciated, it does kind of imply that us risking our own health during the Coronavirus outbreak is something out of the ordinary.
It isn't. Every time I walk through the door of the hospital I'm risking my health, and if we're feeling dramatic, potentially my life.
As a medical student, I contracted meningitis from a patient the GP practice nurse had told me 'just has a bit of a headache'. Last year I contracted swine flu from a patient. I wore the gloves and the mask, I washed my hands, I had the flu vaccine... but the occupational hazard is still there. Worldwide, there's been high-profile cases of doctors dying treating the likes of ebola and malaria patients, but outside the news doctors everywhere contract (and occasionally die of) the flu, pneumonia, you name it.
I don't really know what the point I'm trying to make here is. Maybe just that if you're considering medicine as a career, dont expect to only be exposed to risk during pandemics.
While it's nice to be appreciated, it does kind of imply that us risking our own health during the Coronavirus outbreak is something out of the ordinary.
It isn't. Every time I walk through the door of the hospital I'm risking my health, and if we're feeling dramatic, potentially my life.
As a medical student, I contracted meningitis from a patient the GP practice nurse had told me 'just has a bit of a headache'. Last year I contracted swine flu from a patient. I wore the gloves and the mask, I washed my hands, I had the flu vaccine... but the occupational hazard is still there. Worldwide, there's been high-profile cases of doctors dying treating the likes of ebola and malaria patients, but outside the news doctors everywhere contract (and occasionally die of) the flu, pneumonia, you name it.
I don't really know what the point I'm trying to make here is. Maybe just that if you're considering medicine as a career, dont expect to only be exposed to risk during pandemics.
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