This is now a second sad follow up to a blog I wrote recently about a local resident who witnessed what was happening when a COVID-19 outbreak hit Burnaby Hospital on Dec. 15, one of several that have been declared at the health facility.
Jane (not her real name as she wants her privacy protected) had been admitted to Burnaby Hospital a few days before after needing an emergency procedure.
I spoke with her to find out what it must be like to be in a hospital for something other than COVID-19 and have all hell break loose right in front of you. She was forced to go to a hospital that had just seen more than 100 cases between patients and staff, plus at least 10 deaths.
“It was so unsettling,” Jane told me. “You just feel helpless.”
After being sent home from the hospital, Jane started to exhibit COVID-19 symptoms so she was booked for a test at the Central Park facility in Burnaby.
Some anxious hours followed and a sleepless night and now she has received the bad news.
Jane was diagnosed with COVID-19, but despite her best efforts to isolate, now her husband has tested positive.
All Jane wanted was to get home so she could continue to get better and now she has a new health crisis to deal with to start 2021. This is the risks that people face when they have no choice but to be admitted to hospital. It's also another reminder of the risks that all health workers face as they go to work every day.
Follow Chris Campbell on Twitter @shinebox44.
