CHICAGO _ One of the most exhausting parts of Kameno Bell's work days was constantly replacing his gear as he and other physicians checked in on coronavirus patients.
Initially, doctors suspected the flu when patients arrived at New Jersey's Hackensack University Medical Center with fevers and coughs. But patients' health significantly nose-dived in a day or two, and their oxygen levels were saturated.
As doctors received more information about COVID-19, they isolated patients _ which required temporarily using hallways.
At one point, Bell noticed a few doctors resuscitating patients at the same time.
But his frequent removal and replacement of equipment also signified the magnitude of the pandemic and severity of the disease they are fighting.
"In these circumstances, I'm getting dressed in (personal protective equipment) like we once prepared for Ebola a couple years ago," Bell said. "We were fit for the helmet and the body suit. This is very close to that. I'm in this gear when I go see a patient with COVID.
"Two weeks ago, everyone coming in had it. It becomes very exhaustive to take it on and off during eight, nine-, 10-, 11-, 12-hour shifts. You could see up to 30 patients initially in that amount of time. Sometimes you go in to see that patient two or three times. Initially we weren't abreast of the effort it would take. We would find ourselves going in to see the patients like normal. As it went on we adjusted and tried to be a lot more efficient."
None of this feels normal, but Bell, an emergency room physician, said he addresses the disease with his same determination, focus and analysis.
A Chicago native and Illinois running back from 1989-1991, Bell said his profession _ especially during this pandemic _ requires lessons he learned on the football field in addition to the classroom.
"It's helped with the stress," he said. "I don't mind working hard. If I don't succeed initially, I don't quit. My persistence is probably my best quality and that was learned and honed in competition in sports."
