TOUCHING STORIES AT COVID-19 WARD

[Anchor Lead]

Health workers at negative pressure hospital wards where COVID-19 patients receive treatment do their utmost to help patients recover and return home. Many health workers are willing to go an extra mile to make coronavirus patients feel as comfortable as possible.

[Pkg]

A hospital bed in this negative pressure room has been replaced with a green mattress. It’s for a 13-month-old baby and the mother, who were hospitalized together. The baby contracted COVID-19 and was admitted to the hospital on July 26. To reduce the baby’s anxiety, hospital workers made the room better suited for an infant.

[Soundbite] Chung Mi-hee(Nurse) : "We were worried the little one might fall from the bed. The baby didn’t want to be separated from the mother and kept crying. We decided to put a mattress on the floor with the baby in mind."

The health care workers removed the bed and thoroughly disinfected the floor. They then placed a mattress on the floor and provided toys and books. The baby, who used to cry each time when health care workers in hazmat suits appeared, soon began to feel more at home. The young patient was cured of COVID-19 ten days later and returned home.

[Soundbite] (Child’s mother) : "They were very friendly when explaining ways to take the medications and treat my child. They did their best to help us. I am very grateful to them."

One kindergarten teacher decided to get hospitalized along with a seven-year-old infected child from her class despite testing negative for COVID-19. Donning a protective suit, she took care of the child who seemed to experience discomfort in a negative pressure room for three days.

[Soundbite] Kim Dong-yeon(Kindergarten teacher) : "When things like this happen, there is no other choice. Anyone would do the same. You just can’t help it."

The dedication and kindness displayed in negative pressure rooms give hope and strength to those who are battling COVID-19.