A respiratory therapist is feeling encouraged by the social distancing he sees people doing to avoid the spread of COVID-19.
Michael Campbell has worked as a respiratory therapist for 22 years and is part of the front-line health-care staff during the pandemic.
“It is stressful but we’re well-trained and well-prepared to handle almost any situation,” he said.
Campbell said respiratory therapists are trained to do a fair amount of work, from anything to do with breathing, taking care of ventilators, managing airways when people are sick, and helping those with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
“In relation to the COVID-19, being a respiratory manifestation illness, we are very heavily involved with the care of these patients,” he said.
Ventilators – machines which help patients with damaged lungs get enough oxygen – are limited in the province at the moment, with 225 on hand and an unspecified number on order. These devices, as well as respiratory therapists, will become crucially important while managing the pandemic.
Campbell said he hopes people continue to take care of themselves and to avoid hospitals if they can. He said people should abide by the professional advice given to them.
“We’re actually happy that this is the case, that people are being safe and not spreading COVID-19 with people being responsible that way because it makes our job easier,” he said.
Campbell said he hasn’t seen a lot of COVID-19 yet, but he knows it’s there. He said it’s important everyone respect others and focus on everybody, not just themselves.
