Dr. Sharis Steib Talks About COVID-19
When I last spoke to Dr. Sharis Steib in preparation for the cover story of the St. James magazine, not many people were yet genuinely concerned about COVID-19.
Now that we have been thrust into this pandemic and the number of cases and deaths continue to rise daily, we contacted Dr. Steib again to see how she is doing.
A doctor since 2019, Steib is doing a one-year residency in Internal Medicine at Our Lady of the Lake Hospital in Baton Rouge. In June, she will continue her studies at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
She has just finished two months of inpatient medicine. This month she will be seeing patients in ambulatory clinics where most appointments have been transitioned to virtual visits due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Additionally, she will serve as back up if any of her colleagues get sick, and she will be in the hospital on wards again in May.
Like other healthcare professionals, Dr. Steib is concerned with the number of people she sees on social media who are still having large gatherings. She fears that people are not understanding the magnitude of this pandemic.
“Social distancing and isolation are hard concepts for us to grasp in south Louisiana because family is such a large part of who we are, but it is necessary.”
“No visitors are allowed inside the hospital now. That not only applies to COVID-19 cases, but to all cases,” Dr. Steib stated.
Although she is not currently working in a COVID unit, she has been to some.
“It’s really different to walk down the hallway of COVID units. Everything is quiet, and there is less movement with no family members around. Nurses, physicians and ancillary workers mitigate exposure risks by not going in and out of patient rooms as frequently. The sound of ventilators is present, and there is an eerie stillness. It’s weird to see so many people ill from one cause. Some requiring just a little oxygen and some on lifesustaining equipment.”
Doctors have a tougher time keeping family members informed of patient progress since they aren’t allowed to visit.
“We, along with nurses, now spend more time on the phone keeping family members updated,” she added.
Dr. Steib hopes that those in the communities will come to understand that if they would stay home, it would limit exposure to the virus for everyone.
“Everyone tells us healthcare workers to stay safe,” she continued. “But it’s almost impossible to stay completely safe in our work environment, especially considering one can be largely asymptomatic but still contagious. The easiest way to help us stay safe is to adhere to the quarantine, isolation, and social distancing recommendations so that there will be fewer sick people presenting to the hospital.”
Some of her co-workers have already tested positive for the virus, and one tested negative despite having similar symptoms.
Dr. Steib admires the dedication of hospital staff.
“Everyone shows up to work. People have choices. They could not come or quit their job, but people have been amazingly adaptive and dedicated; they help out when and where they can. The air of fear has changed to helpfulness. Some change their clothes before they leave the hospital to go home. Some leave their clothes at the door of their homes and immediately shower before visiting with their own families.”
Like other health professionals and civic leaders, Dr. Steib pleads with everyone to stay at home to limit their chances of catching and/or spreading the virus.
“We are social beings. We love being with family and friends, but now we must prioritize life. Maintaining our distance could mean the difference between life and death for those we love.”