"This is the new normal after a shift - blisters on the nose and irritation to my face."
Last month, healthcare workers started sharing photos of their bruised faces as a result of constantly having to wear face masks while they help battle the coronavirus.
This Maryland ER nurse wrote: "This is the new normal after a shift - blisters on the nose and irritation to my face. Wearing a mask for 12 hours straight. Reusing a mask for at least three days, or until it is visibly soiled. Placing it in a paper bag after a shift until the next day. This virus is real and people are sick, fighting for their lives...🦠"
This New York nurse wrote: "I can't even begin to describe my emotions after a 14-hour long night on Coronavirus Critical Unit. I'm exhausted, overwhelmed, anxious, and furious for not having enough or quality PPE (personal protective equipment), scared of carrying the virus home or contracting myself; I'm physically and mentally drained, and may be somewhat proud of myself for helping to fight this pandemic 😩..."
This Indiana nurse wrote: "This is unlike any pic in my feed. It doesn't have the same 'aesthetic.' But, seriously, eff the aesthetic. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞. This is the face of a COVID ICU nurse. Blood, sweat, and tears - literally. This is what healthcare workers are putting in to save these patients. And lots ARE recovering! But, we cannot save them all..."
Instagram: @goldys
"...You can see the exhaustion all over my face. I've been working 12-hour night shifts (I am not a night shifter normally). I'm a PEDS Nurse now working on an Adult Unit. A COVID ICU. These are times I'll never forget. But please don't call me a 'hero.' I appreciate the sentiments, but I am just doing my job. They're saying the SURGE in Indiana should be starting late this week. Pray for your healthcare workers, the patients that will become critically ill, and the families of those patients as there are no visitors allowed. Stay home! You aren't 'stuck' at home, you're SAFE at home!"
NOTE: The nurse in the above photo, Jill Eicher, sent us the original to publish because she said people have been claiming the one on her Instagram was altered. "All I did was up the contrast and saturation! All those conspiracy theorists are pretty brutal!" You can see the Instagram photo she is referring to here.
We want to thank all of the people who are putting their lives at risk to help fight this pandemic. Please continue to stay home and practice social distancing so we can beat COVID-19 together! ❤️
For more information about the coronavirus, click here.
