By Robert Requintina
A Filipino nurse in Nevada serving COVID-19 patients admitted he was very scared the first time he learned about COVID-19 but he and other nurses and doctors there managed to stay strong as the days pass.
Filipino nurse Yves Campos at a hospital in Nevada
Pageant king Yves Campos, 27, assigned at the intensive care unit (ICU) of a hospital in Nevada, said that he still feels terrified about the pandemic every time he wakes up.
"I am terrified every time I wake up. I always check if I have sore throat, fever, cough, sob. Things going around makes you paranoid but this is my line of duty and my patients need me more than anyone else," said Campos, during an online interview around midnight April 6.
Campos, who won Mr. Culture and Tourism Universe in Myanmar in 2019, is assigned on a nightshift in the hospital. His sister Reyna is also a nurse in the same hospital for three years now. In the hospital where Campos works, 80-90 percent of the nurses and doctors there are Filipinos.
"It's been pretty busy for the last month for me since I work directly with positive COVID-19 patients. Good thing my hospital is very supportive with us and they make sure we are well-equipped," he added.
Campos said that most of the COVID-19 patents there are seniors but they also have younger ones. "It does not really target a specific age but majority are seniors."
These days, the state of Nevada is under home quarantine due to the coronavirus. Based on what he sees, Campos said that the people of Nevada strictly follow the safety rules against the virus.
Campos said he also practices self-quarantine by keeping a distance from his family as soon as he arrives home from hospital duty.
"I do see them every day but I'm trying to isolate myself in the room or try to avoid them as much as I can. They are with me but I am isolating myself," he said.
Asked how he managed to stay strong in these trying times, Campos said: "I need to stay healthy. No more diet for now and I try to eat healthy as much as I can. I also try to be mentally and emotionally focus."
When asked about the food he gives to COVID-19 patients, he said: "I work in the ICU. So most of my patients are on ventilator. For non-vented patients, regular food only but more protein as long as there are no kidney issues. I think there is no specific food that can cure COVID-19 for now."
Campos, who has been a nurse for almost seven years now, advised the public to stay strong and healthy all the time.
"Stay home. Wash your hands. Drink lots of water, take Vitamin C or immune booster every day. Wearing face mask in public and using plastic utensils will also help us prevent coronavirus," he said.
Campos added: "Some of you may not appreciate what the government is doing or what a frontliner is saying but take it from me. What you see and hear in the media is much worse when you see an actual COVID-19 patient."