This coronavirus IG post is going viral because it shows the reality medical professionals are facing right now

Lynzy Coughlin, pregnant mama to three (soon-to-be four) children, Physician Assistant (PA), lifestyle blogger, and influencer behind the popular Instagram account Lynzyandco recently shared her thoughts and concerns about working amid the coronavirus pandemic—like caring for sick patients while 22 weeks pregnant and worrying that people aren’t taking social distancing seriously enough.

She wrote about the reality of needing to keep some semblance of normalcy on her Instagram page, continuing to post about “fun” things while also keeping her audience informed about COVID-19 with any updated info she learns or preparations she takes.

She writes:

“I know this is a space for fashion and motherhood and fun. Right now, it needs to be a place where you can come and feel safe AND informed. At the end of the day, your lives mean A LOT to me and not a pretty frilly top or new lipstick. Yes, I will keep sharing fun stuff because we need an outlet but I will also keep you informed with what I know to be true and how we can all get through this together.

“Today I worked in the ED at 22 weeks pregnant, worried for the life of my baby and my own life. I took an oath to serve as did MANY others and I want you to know that this isn’t easy for ANY of us.

“The reality that COVID is everywhere is here. We still have limited tests but there are MANY patients coming in with symptoms and that would most likely be positive if we could test them all (and hopefully will soon in the next few days). Your chance of exposure already is high (IMO). My husband I both work emergency medicine and are already seeing the serious implications that this virus can have.

“This post is just a friendly reminder that I want to put out here to keep this community as safe as possible.

“I also see many people not taking it seriously and continuing on with their daily activities. In all honesty, the best way to shut this down is to order a national lockdown (which will hopefully happen). PLEASE stay home. Have fun with your kids and keep your distance from others. You can still go on hikes and be outdoors but just distance yourself from others.

“Does it suck? YES. But guess what? This is our BEST chance at keeping ourselves and OTHERS safe right now. It’s not about YOU, it’s about people less likely to fight off the virus.

“Also, for the record, there ARE young people on ventilators with no medical problems. Yes, it’s less likely but no one is immune. No one.

“Pray for those on the front end of this thing. It’s scary.”

The reality of life for many medical professionals right now is that they have families at home they have to leave in order to go to work. To care for the sick, and to test those potentially infected with the coronavirus, putting themselves directly at risk for infection themselves.

It’s scary and overwhelming. Many of us are able to hunker down at home and wait as safely as possible, but they’re putting themselves in (likely) direct contact with the virus—unsure of what will happen exactly.

Yesterday, Lynzy said in her Instagram stories:

“I’m gonna start off this COVID conversation with how incredibly proud I am to be part of a medical staff that, even though we have fear and reluctance, that we are on the battleground, essentially—fighting this thing head-on and not thinking twice about it. And that, to me, is really incredible. It takes a lot of courage and I am so impressed with how my staff—and the medical staff across the United States—is handling this right now. I even know providers that are going off of their immunosuppressive medications, so that they can take care of their patients.”

We’d like to echo Lynzy’s sentiment. We are incredibly proud of the medical professionals in our country and across the world, sacrificing their health for the health of others. Because this is not an overreaction—this is reality.

And we must treat that reality with respect because it directly translates to our respect for these brave, determined medical professionals who are going in to work every day so that we don’t have to go to the hospital ourselves.

To the medical professionals combating this virus—we salute you, we honor you, we’re proud of you and we pray for you.

Thank you for your service.

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