‘People don’t understand’: Paramedic shares her experience with COVID-19

MECKLENBURG COUNTY, N.C. — One paramedic with Mecklenburg EMS wanted to share her story about what’s it has been like on the front lines of COVID-19.

Casey Jordan has been with MEDIC for 10 years. On Monday, she posted a picture of her face. If you look at the photo closely, you can see harsh lines on her cheeks -- marks made after wearing an N95 mask for a long time.

On Monday, Jordan said she helped transport a patient with COVID-19, who was having problems breathing.

[SPECIAL SECTION: TRACKING CORONAVIRUS]

“That particular call, when I took that mask off, I had it on for at least an hour, maybe closer to an hour and half. Then, on the call right after that, I had to put it right back on because we had another patient that met our criteria to possible COVID-positive as well,” she said.

It’s stressful situations like this paramedics are faced with each day. On many calls, they’re wearing maximum PPE, which includes a N95 mask, gloves, a gown and face shield.

Jordan said the outfit gets hot and uncomfortable.

“I was slightly frustrated after that call because I was like people don’t understand what we’re going through,” she said. “At work, we have a heightened sense awareness of what’s going on, you know anytime I get a call, that the initial call is for a sick person or a breathing problem or an unknown medical ... both my partner and I look at each other, and say, ‘OK, what are we walking into?’”

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MEDIC shared Jordan’s picture in a video on social media, saying, “Help us help her by staying home.”

Like all of us, Jordan said she can’t wait for her life to go back to normal.

“It’s just me and my son, and I do worry about bringing it home," she said. We’re not staying 6 feet away from each other in the apartment, or anything like that, but there has been less hugs, less sitting at the dinner table together, just trying to keep personal space between the two of us. It’s been rough."

MEDIC says it will maintain ability to respond in case of COVID-19 surge

Casey said the best thing we can all do to make keep all paramedics, and other first responders safe, is to answer all questions from a 911 dispatcher. That way, they can prepare for a call.

“If I get sick, or my partner gets sick or any of my co-workers get sick with this then we have to stay for 14 days minimum, if we were exposed because someone didn’t answer those questions appropriately,” Jordan said.

As of Wednesday, MEDIC has 15 employees under quarantine. That’s down from 19 from Tuesday.

There is still only one confirmed case in their agency -- It’s a paramedic who tested positive last week.