Living with healthcare professionals

I was home in mid-March for spring break, sitting in my basement, when I heard my dad run down the stairs. He told my mom and me that he had to go to work to help deliver a baby. My parents are both doctors, so this has happened many times in our household, but the COVID-19 pandemic brought a twist. Some of the new mothers at the hospital had coronavirus, so there was a possibility the babies might have contracted it. My dad’s responsibilities included checking the babies’ health, as well as counseling mothers on how to handle the situation. All this had the potential to expose him to the virus. Although the mother did not give birth that night, my dad has gone to the hospital frequently over the past few weeks and the emotions I felt that day always return. I know I am not alone in this, as there are many families like mine that fear for the safety of their loved ones who work on the front lines. This pandemic has allowed me to appreciate more than ever before how brave and selfless healthcare professionals like my dad and mom are for risking their lives to make this a safer and healthier world.