Coronavirus: How can we protect our healthcare heroes?

Ahmed Twaij featured on Aljazeera’s Stream for a live discussion on coronavirus.

As countries around the world contend with the new coronavirus, many politicians are likening the fight to a war against an invisible enemy. But those on the front lines are not soldiers, they’re healthcare workers. Over the past several weeks, doctors, nurses and emergency medical technicians have borne the brunt of COVID-19’s fallout. In China, the first country to grapple with an outbreak, more than 3,000 medical staff were infected with the coronavirus. This was in large part due to fatigue and a lack of protective gear. Meanwhile, amid a shortage of ventilators and hospital beds, doctors in Italy are being forced to ration resources, ultimately deciding who lives and who dies. In the United States and United Kingdom, healthcare workers are trying to learn from other nations’ mistakes. But as the pandemic spreads, many are concerned about successfully beating it back. They’re also worried about their own mental health and potentially infecting their families. In this episode we ask, how can we protect our healthcare heroes.