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Alexandra Champaign

Alexandra Champaign is a nurse based in New Jersey and has been a nurse for 17 years, she started out in Pediatrics, then the ICU unit but now works in the Medical-Surgical unit and daily treats COVID-19 patients.

gw: What are some of the ways you’ve been able to keep motivated and encouraged during his time?

Honestly, I try to take things day by day. Every day I thank God, and I just question why I am still here. Why do I not have symptoms? Does God still have a plan for me? Because I know without a doubt that I have been exposed to the Coronavirus from treating infected patients. That’s what is keeping me going strong. With the amount of patients that I’ve been exposed to, I am just so thankful to God. I’ve had patients cough on me, spit on me... I even have co-workers that are sick, some who are in the hospital and are ventilated and reflecting on this everyday when I wake up, keeps me going. gw:Can you describe a typical day for you?

I’d go to work, at the hospital, they’d tell me there are fewer nurses on the floor that day. There are 23 patients between 3 nurses (as of the time of this interview) and they tell me I have 10 patients to take care of during my shift, and four need to be intubated. So I tell myself that I can’t get overwhelmed. There was one day I had an intubation, at the same time another patient was coding (not breathing… coding). I had to scream and shout out for the other nurses to help me with the patient that was coding as I could not leave the patient that was being intubated. This patient was trying to stand up; he had a tube down his throat to help him breathe on a ventilator and he was struggling to free himself. He’s emotional, trying to rip the tube out of his throat and trying to disconnect himself from everything. I’m holding him down and screaming for help as the other patient of mine is coding. Eventually he had to be restrained. Next door, the patient that was coding had to be given CPR. The protocol for patients that are COVID-positive is that everyone has to leave the room apart from those who are administering the aid. During intubation, those present in the room risk being infected and so only two are allowed in a room during intubation; when we push air into their throats, air also comes out into the atmosphere. The patient who was coding did not make it.

“We need nurses and we also need prayers. Like I said earlier protective gear is never 100%”

We just have to work so fast and are short staffed. It’s very stressful, everyone is burned out- from the doctors to nurses and janitors.

gw: Is there anything you’d like to let people know about COVID?

It is definitely real! I’m a nurse here in New York and it has been so crazy. Please stay home and keep your distance, you never know who could have it. It’s a terrible disease that damages the body so badly. Medical practitioners need equipment and protective gear. We often have to reuse gear and this only puts us at a higher risk of getting infected. We need nurses and we also need prayers. Like I said earlier protective gear is never 100%. gw

Dr. Ebunoluwa Olasumbo Jaiyesimi

Dr Ebunoluwa.O.Jaiyesimi holds a Master Degree Certificate in Reproductive Health from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland in addition to a Masters Degree in Public Health from University of Ibadan. She is the Lead for the Surveillance Team of the COVID-19 Rapid Response (RRT) for OOUTH Sagamu, Ogun State, Nigeria.

gw: How are you combating this COVID-19?

COVID-19 is a novel disease which requires all hands on deck to prevent the spread. Personally, as a a public health physician, I contribute to a technical plan for mitigation and prevention. Surveillance is a very important part of the response. And this for me involves the following; Sensitization & Awareness creation, Contact Tracing. among others.

Once a case is confirmed by PCR testing, the contact has to be listed and advised to self isolate for two weeks which is the average incubation period for the disease. In addition to contact tracing, awareness creation through the media, market outreaches to sensitize communities, carefully planned physical and virtual (on-line) training for health care workers are necessary.

gw: What is your advice to people?

There are various wrong or half-truths out regarding COVID-19; many people have been misinformed. Hence my advice to people will start with providing

“I believe that Jesus is the Great Healer. Therefore I am just His emissary in ministering healing to the sick.”

information on the characteristics of the virus and thereby empowering people to make informed decisions on taking on the necessary protection modalities regarding COVID-19.

I advice that to halt its spread, it is important to follow all guidelines in addition to the following: z Eating a balanced diet made up of carbohydrate, protein, minerals and vitamins in the right proportion.

Lots of Vit C, E &D rich food or supplement is advised. Eating eggs, cheese, garlic ginger decreases respiratory symptoms in case of a viral infection. Eat one banana a day to replenish gut flora. Excess carbohydrate consumption is not advisable. z Ensuring good Hydration, exercise and proper rest.

It’s important that one discloses past medical history, it helps with treatment prescription. A woman came into the Accident & Emergency unit with sudden breathlessness and fatigue and had traveled to a community where COVID is prevalent. She was put on the list to be investigated before we found out later that she had underlying hypertensive disease. She apparently withheld information of being ill for the past 3 months. Unfortunately, she passed away while on treatment.

gw: How has your belief helped you in this fight?

I believe that Jesus is the Great Healer. Therefore I am just His emissary in ministering healing to the sick. I believe in Him doing the miracle of healing in the infected physically and affected emotionally. Hence, I daily commit my conduct and activities to Him, putting my hands in His to perform His miracle of healing through me. He said ‘He is the Lord that healeth us’. He has received whips for our healing (Is 53:5). Jesus also said, whenever we have the opportunity to help and do good to others we are doing it to Him. Risk of being infected is high for a frontline health care worker like me. I know I have divine protection from all evils including diseases because God promised us in Psalm 91:10; so I have assurance that the Lord will protect

me. gw