Along with doctors and other medical staff, nurses have been on the frontline of Italy’s fight against coronavirus – sharing stories of exhaustion and heroism in the face of a disease that has killed more than 800 people in the country.
An Instagram post by Milan-based nurse Alessia Bonari describing her pride in her work fighting coronavirus – despite the difficulties involved – has been praised globally.
The post, which includes a photo of her face bruised from wearing protective masks, has been liked more than 740,000 times so far.
She writes: “I am afraid to go to work. I’m afraid the mask may not adhere well to my face, or I may have accidentally touched myself with dirty gloves, or maybe the lenses [of my goggles] didn’t completely cover my eyes and something may have passed through.
“I am physically tired because the protective devices are bad, the lab coat makes me sweat, and once I’m dressed [in a protective suit] I can no longer go to the bathroom or drink for six hours.
“I am psychologically tired, as are all my colleagues who have been in the same condition for weeks, but this will not prevent us from doing our job as we have always done.
“I will continue to take care of my patients, because I am proud of and in love with my job.”
She then urged people “not to frustrate our efforts” by coming into hospital if they don’t need to, and to instead self-isolate at home.
Read more via Sky News
