A Washington, D.C.-area couple is on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic, treating the sick at area hospitals. They spoke with Telemundo 44 about how they take care of their family and what they wish the public — especially young people — knew.
Luisa Fernanda Flores is an intensive care unit nurse in Maryland. Her husband, Kevin Flores, is an X-ray technician. Fernanda Flores is six months pregnant and they have a toddler at home. They said they're treating each other with more care as they treat patients with the virus.
“I just tell her that I love her a lot more. My prayers in the morning are a little bit longer and I just tell her that I can’t wait to see her again,” Flores said.
Fernanda Flores said she is meticulous about not infecting her own household. She showers as soon as she gets home. But she can’t shake the fear that she or her family might get infected.
“At night I have nightmares. I wake up at 2, 3 a.m. thinking, 'I can’t breathe. Something is wrong. I am sick. I’m going to make others sick.' I check my temperature," she said.
The nurse said she was angry when she saw images of overcrowding at the Tidal Basin last weekend as the cherry blossoms hit peak bloom.
“I’m working here trying to save lives and you guys are out there doing what you’re not supposed to do," she said. "That made me very upset because the only way to prevent this from spreading is social distance."
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She had a warning for young Americans who think they have nothing to worry about.
“There’s 20- and 30-year-olds in ICUs getting intubated. I wouldn’t really trust that I’m going to be OK,” she said. “We’re not invincible. We have to take the necessary steps to be OK.”
