MVH nurse says ‘we’re trying our best’ during DeWine news conference

A local nurse shared her experiences treating COVID-19 patients during Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine’s news conference Tuesday afternoon.

Jasmine Shavers, a nurse who works with COVID-19 patients at Miami Valley Hospital said she feels the current wave is “much more intense” than the waves in the spring and in the summer.

“We’re exhausted. We’re tired. We’re trying out best. COVID is no joke,” she said.

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She said if she’s out in the community and sees someone with a mask, she thinks to herself “we’ll see them in a hospital soon.”

Shavers shared stories of two patients she had — a patient who was a medical professional who told her he didn’t think COVID-19 was that serious, but ended up dying. Another patient had special needs, and their mother told them her child had never been without her. Shavers said she tried to be that support system for the child, who died while in the hospital.

DeWine made the following announcements:

• Around Dec. 15, Ohio will get its first batch of vaccines. The state is working to determine distribution.
• DeWine is asking schools to conduct winter sports without fans. “This allows student athletes to continue to play,” he said.
• A respiratory therapist at Grant Medical Center in Columbus also spoke during the news conference. At the beginning of November, she developed COVID-19 symptoms. She developed double pneumonia and was hospitalized for seven days. “It’s really hard to be a covid patient,” she said. “It’s hard to sit in a room and the only person you see is in full PPE.” She said the isolation is impactful. She’s now home, but still on oxygen.

Cox Media Group