Rachel and Jorgen are nurses in Malta. In different ways, they have both been deeply involved in the COVID-19 response in the country.
Rachel works in the Infectious Diseases Unit at Mater Dei, Malta’s largest hospital. Throughout the pandemic, Rachel and her team have cared for severely ill COVID-19 patients being admitted to the hospital.
“We are talking about patients who were very sick, often in an isolation room for weeks at a time, without seeing or talking to anyone. It’s been a very challenging time for everyone,” she shares. “My team and I were the only people they could interact with. Imagine how hard that must have been for them – all they could see were our eyes through layers and layers of protective gear.”
Health professionals like Rachel and Jorgen have been the cornerstone of the pandemic response. And as the pandemic evolves, so does their work. When vaccines were first rolled out at the end of 2020, their work focused on caring for the vulnerable while also convincing their communities of the safety and effectiveness of the new vaccines.
“I see my job primarily as one of explaining and reassuring my patients that COVID-19 vaccines are safe and save lives,” Jorgen, the Vaccine Coordinator at Mater Dei, explains. “There is a lot of misinformation out there and, most importantly, fear of the unknown. So, I take it upon myself to ensure that patients have all the facts they need to make an informed decision.”
