LIFE in the TIME OF CORONA
The INTENSIVE CARE NURSE
MICHELLE SPENCE, AUSTRALIA
“Right now my job is like preparing for a war. I’ve been in this ICU for 23 years, a manager for 12 years and involved in things like the Bourke Street and Flinders Street [terrorist attacks in Melbourne], but I’ve never experienced anything like this.
“We’re in the preparation phase and are in a more positive situation [than other countries] because the curve is flattening and the public are doing their part. We’re training about 200 nurses to become ICU nurses in four days – that normally takes six months. We’re getting the equipment ready and we’re going from 32 ICU beds to over 100.
“I’m trying to keep my own anxiety in check, and leave it at the door when I get home. I’ve got small children, a husband and elderly parents. As a manager, I’ve also got close to 400 staff and we’re training another 200, so suddenly I’ve got 600 under my watch, who also have different levels of anxiety and concerns.
“There’s a real feeling of camaraderie and teamwork. There’s a feeling of: ‘Bring it on, we’re ready.’ We know we will back each other. We will come out the other side. Whatever we are going to face, we’ll do it together.”
The QUARANTINED
AIDAN SALAKHOVA, RUSSIA
“I flew home from Italy to Russia during the coronavirus crisis. The situation was very tense. There were only 60 people on the plane, and in the waiting area everyone kept away from each other. I felt anxious. At passport control, a handsome Italian joked: ‘Are you running away from us?’ As it turned out, two passengers were infected.
“When I landed, I spent two weeks in quarantine at the Tsaritsyno rehabilitation centre. I was locked up and couldn’t go out. In quarantine, you learn not to hurry. In the morning, the doctor would visit. In the afternoon, I’d sit on my balcony, which was a saving grace. There is a lot of spontaneity in real life; in quarantine
