Buy Photo

Dr. Eric Nielsen poses for a photograph outside of Renown on April 1, 2020(Photo: Andy Barron/RGJ)

Editor's note:This story is being provided for free as a public service during the COVID-19 outbreak.Please consider supporting our local journalists in Nevada by subscribing to the Reno Gazette Journal.

For 16 years, Dr. Eric Nielsen has been insideemergency rooms. A Reno native andgraduate of the University of Nevada, Reno Medical School, he works in the same hospital where he was born.

Nielsen is part of the Northern Nevada Emergency Physicians group, which staffs Renown Health hospitals.The group of 65 doctors will be on the front lines of the coronavirus battle in the coming weeks and months.

Its hard to claim a resounding victory in Washoe County when we sustained over 30 deaths from COVID-19. Northern Nevada has not had the widespread fatalities that other communities suffered. Weve been fortunate for geographic isolation, early social distancing, and low population density.

Read more:Reno ER doctor on the coronavirus fight: 'This isnt just our battle, itseveryones'

Perhaps most of all, we are blessed by an intelligent and motivated community that took the threat of COVID-19 seriously from the start. We all deserve credit for our early success.

The doomsday models everyone relied upon were just that, educated guesses about a disease we discovered just six months ago. We had no idea how successful an economic shutdown and social distancing measures would be.

We also learned that possibly 1 in 250 people could die from COVID-19 no matter what care we provide. Ventilators and hydroxychloroquine are no cure all. Anti-virals may provide hope, but lets patiently wait for the data. Until we develop a safe and effective vaccine, we need to proceed with extreme caution.

COVID-19 is not like a typical natural disaster such as an earthquake, fire or flood. Those are distinct tragedies in a small timeframe and location. The virus already has a foothold and isnt going anywhere soon. It will lurk in the shadows and continue to spread by people with minimal or no symptoms. For now, COVID-19 s a permanent resident in our community.

The sacrifices our citizens and local businesses have made cannot be overstated. Beloved employees were let go, wages cut, and businesses closed. We all missed cherished family gatherings and simple get togethers with our friends. Our local economy and daily lives didnt simply experience a tremor, it was a two month shockwave felt through every fabric of our lives.

These sacrifices saved countless lives. It allowed our hospitals and doctors precious time to prepare and learn more about the virus. We cannot waste these sacrifices. To do so could possibly make things worse in a few months and risk another economic shutdown or surge of the disease.

Everyone has real and unanswerable questions. Will I have a job when the government says its OK to go back to work? Am I getting stimulus money? How do I keep my family safe? Do I have one of the underlying conditions that puts me at risk of dying? The questions and uncertainties are real, you are not alone. This is terrifying.

Everyone wants it to be like it was 3 months ago or fast forward two years, neither of which are possible. We are entering a new phase of management of the COVID-19 crisis in our community. We have to carefully execute two incredible challenges. We need to cautiously open up the economy and our social lives while also remaining vigilant to keep the disease at bay.

Lets not argue about which businesses are essential. Human life is essential, and the economy is essential to sustain it. If we cant all agree they go hand-in-hand none of this will work. But we cant simply go back to our old way of life, to do so would give this virus a second chance to further hurt our community.

We cannot forget about the children in our community. They are as confused and scared about this situation as we are. These are impressionable and sensitive beings. Some cant comprehend why they dont get a big birthday party, play at certain parks, or see their friends. They have been pulled out of their social circles and miss going to school. They are suffering silently while the adults are struggling to find their way.

We need to do the best we can with limited resources to homeschool them. They need us to be calm, loving, and patient adults in a time of crisis. Lets be as honest as we can be with them and lead by example.

Wearing a mask in public should not be a sign of hysteria, illness or weakness. It should be a badge of civic duty and responsibility. It is a statement that you care about your hometown and its citizens. Other countries such as South Korea and Germany have been wearing masks for months, their experience with COVID-19 has been remarkably different than ours. South Korea has 247 deaths, the United States surpassed 63,000 deaths this week. Lets all eat some humble pie, and get our masks back on.

Once we start getting together with friends, less is more. Wear your mask, keep your distance, and wash your hands. We all have cabin fever, but the risk of getting a fever from COVID-19 may be much worse.

Lets not go crazy. If you find yourself surrounded by a crowd, step back and reconsider. If its not safe, ask yourself if you really need to be there.

If you feel like you are having a medical emergency please dont hesitate to seek care. Weve enacted every measure to keep our emergency departments and hospitals clean and safe. I guarantee its more sanitary than your average grocery or hardware store yet we seem to be piling into those establishments. Yes, we are all wearing masks, gloves, and gowns. We are not ill, were simply taking every precaution to keep all patients and staff safe.

It turns out patients have been dying at home rather than risk coming to the hospital. Do not stay home and suffer, it could likely make your condition worse. We are prepared and able to safely care for you

We all have a choice on how to spend our money. Make a conscious effort to support local businesses. Without your support some of them may not survive. Buy local to the best of your ability. Generously tip on takeout. If you can financially help a friend or family, dont hesitate. If you need help, have the strength and humility to ask for it. Everyone can and needs to help to make this work.

To those businesses that were shut down but paid their employees during the last several weeks, you are the real heroes. Taking a loss on your own bottom line to maintain your workforce is a true sacrifice for your community.

To the parents balancing careers, economic anxieties, and households while also homeschooling their children, you are the real heroes. We all have newfound respect and admiration for our teachers. Keep doing the best you can.

To the nurses, paramedics and all the frontline health care workers caring for COVID-19 patients, you are the real heroes. None of them receive hazard pay but they continue to show up and work hard every day for our community.

Lets all be everyday heroes in our own way and well get through this together.

We had one chance to flatten our initial curve. We did the best we possibly could and lives were saved. Now we have one chance to revive our economy while also keeping COVID-19 under control. Our hospitals are ready. How we do this will determine if we are an example on how do it right or a tragic lesson on how to do this wrong. Lets do this cautiously; lets do it intelligently. Lets do this together.

Read or Share this story: https://www.rgj.com/story/news/2020/05/02/reno-er-doctor-covid-19-we-won-battle-now-lets-win-war/3065559001/

Continued here:

Reno ER doctor on COVID 19: 'We won the battle, now let's win the war' - Reno Gazette Journal