MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Dozens of drive-through COVID-19 testing sites are set up around West Virginia, putting many nurses out on the front lines of the global pandemic.
Erin Barrett, a WVU Medicine nurse who works at the testing center in Morgantown at University Town Center admits the job can be ‘scary at times’ but she is fortunate to do what she has a passion for in helping others.
She appeared on a special Saturday edition of MetroNews ‘Talkline’ to share her experiences of fighting the novel coronavirus.
“It’s a little intimidating going out there, we all have families that we come home to every evening. We know we are at risk and putting our families at risk,” Barrett said.
“But every one of us are nurses and this is what we enjoy doing. We are passionate about caring for and helping others.”
Barrett was complimentary towards WVU Medicine and the help being provided to protect the nurses and everyone else at the testing sites.
She said they are using airborne precautions, meaning the nurses are wearing hoods and powered-air purifying respirators that allows air ventilation through the face.
According to her, one of the objectives is to get a patient in and out of the testing site as quickly as possible to minimize the risk of exposure to everyone there.
“After checking in with security guards, they drive through the tent, they roll their window down,” she explained.
“A nurse then goes out to the tent, we swab them, give them simple instructions and then have them leave the area.”
Barrett noted that it’s tough being so quick with patients because nurses are brought up to be caring and educational.
“We are born and bred to educate the patients but I have to keep that quick when I am with them so that I have less exposure to myself and them,” she said.
“I have been swabbing people all day and we don’t know who is positive and who is negative.”
VIEW: COVID-19 Testing Locations in West Virginia
As of Sunday evening, the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources reported 113 positive COVID-19 cases in the state, up from 96 on Saturday.
There are 2,705 negative cases and zero tests pending, as of Sunday.
Barrett agrees with statements made by state coronavirus czar Dr. Clay Marsh that the state is doing well in flattening the curve, holding at an infection rate of four percent.
She said it’s going to continue to take a statewide effort to keep the rate down and get back to normal lives.
“We need the help of every West Virginian to do that, not just the healthcare and front line workers,” she said.
“We need the community to really understand that staying at home is doing a great job of helping reduce the risk of infection for all of us in West Virginia.”
Erin Barrett, @wvumedicine nurse, talks with @HoppyKercheval about the work she and other nurses are doing during the COVID-19 pandemic. WATCH: https://t.co/jmMe7bOYY9 pic.twitter.com/KPCmbsM4XI
— MetroNews (@WVMetroNews) March 28, 2020