This article contains shocking images that show the efforts of the treatment staff to deal with Covid-19; Images need to be seen many times so that all people know the depth of the destruction of this virus.
The rapid spread of the Covid-19 disease at the beginning of 2020 in the world put severe physical and mental pressure on the medical staff of hospitals who were involved in the care of patients with Corona; To the extent that the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder has increased for this group of people. For many of us who are isolated and quarantined in our homes in 2020 and with the start of the global spread of the Coronavirus, how the medical staff fights on the front lines of Covid-19 remains a mystery.
Many of us, who have not been involved with this virus ourselves or our loved ones, are unaware of the medical staff’s dedication to dealing with the corona disease and all the suffering patients have suffered in hospitals.
The Coronavirus has infected more than 90.3 million people worldwide and claimed 1.9 million lives. Many countries are facing increasing failure in the treatment of this disease. The damage to the treatment and health care staff, families, and victims of this disease is very significant, and there are many days left until the end of the dominance of this virus. But what should be done next?
It may seem unbelievable, But many people have not taken Corona seriously because they or their families have not been infected with this virus. This issue is one of the most important reasons for the medical staff’s disappointment in reducing corona patients. In the meantime, photographers can play a significant and influential role in learning lessons from people and increasing their sense of gratitude towards the treatment staff.
“Go Nakamura” is one of the photographers who has tried to remove the veil from the sadness and fear of these days with his pictures. He is a reporter and photographer based in Houston, Texas, who moved to Texas over a year ago. Nakamaru has visited United Memorial Medical Center more than 20 times since May, documenting everything that goes on in the COVID ward.
Since the number of deaths from the Coronavirus in the United States exceeded 300,000 people in the last two weeks, perhaps articles like this and its images can be considered as a push to help increase the sense of collective responsibility.
Perhaps these articles remind us that we must do our best to keep ourselves safe and healthy.
According to Futurism, in the last few days in one of Egypt’s hospitals, the lack of oxygen caused the death of a patient with the Coronavirus. This sad event occurs when the oxygen level of a corona patient drops to about 2%; As a result, oxygen and air pressure are not enough for the patient to continue breathing and living, and in the meantime, he dies. The images that were published on virtual networks after this incident was shocking. Broadcasting such pictures of the bitter behind-the-scenes of the Covid-19 virus can be incredible for everyone.
Hospitals and healthcare providers across the country are on the front lines of the fight against Corona. Many people are exposed to saying goodbye to their families and loved ones daily—loved ones who don’t get the chance to hug them even for the last time. Many people, because they have no insight into the environment of hospitals and corona patients, have not taken this bitter reality very seriously. We, humans, are visual creatures by nature. In other words, we have to see to believe.
Suppose everyone we have seen around us has been lucky enough to suffer from a mild percentage of Corona. In that case, we may not understand why medical staff are warning and even desperately asking people to take Corona seriously. It may be necessary to take a brief look at the reality of this painful and exhausting virus, A virus that does not hesitate to take all the people we love from us forever.
The entry of the press and photographers into the hospitals will help to inform more about the Coronavirus. Maybe if we see the scenes of death and killing, we will look at this matter more wisely. Despite the more excellent knowledge of the existing threat and the availability of a vaccine, the outlook is promising. We all know that there is light at the end of this dark tunnel, and this virus’s spread will eventually end.
However, the year ahead will still be very challenging; Because everyone has not yet had the vaccine, Corona will still take victims.
Image recording date: November 26, 2020
The photographer says in the explanation of this picture:
Dr. Joseph Varun gently comforts a patient suffering from coronavirus disease. I am grateful to witness such a fantastic moment. I want to thank all the medical staff for their hard work and efforts, which did not leave patients alone even during the holiday season. United Memorial Hospital’s Covid unit usually has twenty beds. The first time I visited that hospital, the beds were almost complete. Then when I returned to this place in the summer, they expanded the ward to have about thirty beds for corona patients.
Go Nakamura says: “Before starting the photography inside the Covid ward, the photographer must completely wear the clothes of the medical staff. There are some rules in this path that must be followed. For example, I couldn’t take pictures of things that would make patients identifiable. When I entered the coronavirus ward with the doctor, he asked the patient if I, as a photographer, could be in that space.
Some patients are unconscious, But those who are alert can answer yes or no to this question. For those who answered yes, I had been thoroughly instructed not to take pictures of patients’ faces. So whenever I take pictures, I hide their faces behind machines, IV pumps, or EKGs. If I could also show the patients’ faces, these images would be much more powerful and impactful, making it much easier for me to frame the photos.
Image registration date: June 30, 2020
The photographer says in the explanation of this picture:
A medical staff member rests in front of a cooling machine in a Covid-19 intensive care unit on June 30 in Houston. Even as a photographer, when I am present in the Covid ward of this hospital, I feel the pressure of adrenaline in my blood. However, I have to control it and focus on photographing the hospital environment and the patients. When I come back from the hospital and look at the images I recorded on the computer screen, it all hits me and becomes unbearable.
I have accessed many trauma resources through doctors, nurses, and websites. Resources that have been very useful and helpful. The first time I went to this hospital and the nursing department, Dr. Joseph Varun came forward and invited me to meet the medical staff. They were talking and laughing. I thought it was a good environment and an exciting place to work.
Five minutes later, the doctor turned to me, looked me straight in the eye, and said with a serious face, “We try to laugh about everything here and find a funny subject; Otherwise, we will go crazy.”
Image registration date: October 31, 2020
The photographer says in the explanation of this picture:
A medical staff member holds a patient’s hand as he repositions his bed in the Covid-19 intensive care unit.
Dr. Varun, one of the doctors of this hospital, has been working for more than 260 days directly, and the nurses and treatment staff of this hospital have been working without any leave since the beginning of summer. Nakamura says: “I photograph the interior of hospitals because I want to inform people about the interior of hospitals; Because I want people to know what happens inside hospitals. This environment is very harsh from the inside. I’m not a doctor, so I’m not used to seeing hard things. Sometimes I want to cover my eyes while taking pictures of patients and medical staff, but I have to take pictures, and I want people to know what others are doing to survive and how much they struggle.
They have worked very hard. Many people could not be aware of this job’s difficulty and challenges without seeing these photos and images recorded by other photographers.
Image registration date: July 2, 2020
The photographer says in the explanation of this picture:
Medical staff rest in the COVID-19 intensive care unit at United Memorial Medical Center in Houston. After standing for hours and caring for many different patients, they can finally rest for a few minutes.
Image registration date: December 7, 2020
The photographer says in the explanation of this picture:
Several members of the medical staff at United Memorial Medical Center are holding a patient in a situation that requires intensive care due to the infection of Covid-19.
Image registration date: December 7, 2020
The photographer says in the explanation of this picture:
IV pumps and electrocardiogram display devices are seen in the patient’s intensive care unit with Covid-19.
Image registration date: June 30, 2020
The photographer says in the explanation of this picture:
With full compliance with health protocols and complete coverage of PE Laminated PPE safety clothing, a resistant cover for Corona, the medical personnel carries the stretcher of a patient who died due to the Coronavirus, out of the Corona intensive care unit and toward the car.
Image registration date: July 28, 2020
The photographer says in the explanation of this picture:
A medical staff member at United Memorial Medical Center treats a patient using a helmet-based ventilator in the Covid-19 intensive care unit.
Image registration date: December 2, 2020
The photographer says in the explanation of this picture:
Gabriel Cervera-Rodriguez, a United Memorial Medical Center medical staff member, closes his eyes for a short break in the Covid-19 intensive care unit.
Image registration date: November 10, 2020
Seeing the medical staff in PPE covers is frightening and demoralizing for many patients. For this reason, one of these doctors carries his picture to make his patients feel better. Several medical staff members treated a patient in the intensive care unit for Covid-19 at United Memorial Medical Center. The photographer says in the explanation of this picture:
Image registration date: November 18, 2020
The photographer says in the explanation of this picture:
A nurse named Marta Fernandez is holding a tablet for one of the corona patients, a 94-year-old woman. This way, this older woman can visit her sister, children, and grandchildren from her hospital bed in the corona patient ward.