Every day, healthcare workers put their lives on the line to care for others. They care for people during their most vulnerable time, no matter the circumstances, with no exceptions. Amidst this pandemic, some of the greatest heroes are healthcare workers. They stand on the front lines and help fight the disease head on.

It is not an easy task that has been put on healthcare workers’ backs. They continue to care for the sick,  even though there are depleting resources and staff shortages. More pressure is being put on healthcare workers to continue to care for the sick even if their own health is at risk. People need to remember that healthcare workers have families too. At the end of the day, after putting themselves at risk, they still have people to come home to. The courage these people show is profound and deserves to be noticed. During this pandemic, healthcare workers need more appreciation.  

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, healthcare workers have been facing harsh conditions. Every time they go to work, they are confronted with the fear of contracting the disease or being a carrier of the disease. They have to be in direct contact with infected patients, along with the patient’s family members who may be carriers too. Without the right equipment, there is no way for a healthcare worker to be fully protected.  There are numerous supply shortages, such as personal protective equipment, like N-95 masks and gowns, and life-saving medical machines like ventilators or ECMO circuits. In order to aid victims of the virus, healthcare providers must protect themselves, although with many this is not the case. 

Along with supply shortages, there is a great need for more healthcare providers. Several medical workers are coming back to work after retirement and a lifetime of service to combat this shortage. Even some of the return to work criteria, like credentialing, licensing or orientation, has been adapted to accommodate the rapid need for nurses and doctors. Healthcare workers need to be appreciated for the work they put in everyday, even if this puts their own lives at risk. 

Appreciating healthcare workers is as simple as staying home. Social distancing isn’t meant to confine people, but is in place to protect them and keep them safe. While people get to stay home and keep doing their normal activities, medical workers are still being called to duty and are facing life and death situations at every turn. The fear they feel is beyond comprehension, always wondering when they return home if they will carry the virus with them to those they love. It takes bravery to face this virus and to be in direct contact with those that have been exposed. 

Although healthcare workers will continue working because it is their job,  without them, who would care for the ill? Healthcare workers also have families and people who depend on them at home. They care for the sick and care for their loved ones, but who is there to care for them? 

Recognition for these heroes is as simple as following the CDC guidelines and staying home and doing your part. If healthcare workers put their lives on the line for people every day, the least a person can do is stay home. The truth of the matter is that this pandemic occurred so quickly and so rapidly that it has placed the world in a state of shock. Everyone must do all that can be done to protect each other and help those who are aiding the sick, saving lives and facing the virus.