1st year ER nurse begs for public's help as COVID-19 spreads
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Vaccines to help fight COVID-19 have renewed many people's hope for an end to the pandemic, but health experts continue to warn against letting your guard down.
Frontline workers, like emergency room nurse Claire Ginger, are doubling down on that message.
"People need to realize we still need to be wearing a mask. We still need to social distance. You shouldn't be going to bars. You shouldn't have huge parties and stuff like that for a long time," said Ginger who works for Memorial Hermann.
The 23-year-old, a third generation nurse, started nursing school never imagining a health crisis on this scale.
"There was no class in nursing school about how to be a nurse in a pandemic," she said.
After graduating from Baylor University in May, Ginger started work with Memorial Hermann in July, wearing her N-95 mask for 13 hours a day. By December, she was tired.
"I'm only six months into my career, and I'm exhausted," she said.
Still proudly living with her parents and next door to her grandmother meant her fears came home with her even after work.
"It's just so nerve-wrecking and scary, like I don't want to give anyone COVID-19," she said.
So when she had the chance to get her vaccine, she rolled up her sleeve without hesitation.
"It puts more gas in my tank. I can do this," Ginger said. "There's a light at the end of the tunnel. We have vaccines."
But as millions of other Americans get their vaccines too, this millennial is begging for public cooperation, reminding us the virus will spread without our help.
