The footprint in Barceloneta and the Hospital del Mar
Five years after the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Robert Güerri tells us in first person his experiences and reflections on this life-changing experience.
Dr. Güerri is Chief of Internal Medicine at the Hospital del Mar and a researcher in the Infectious and Antimicrobial Pathology Research Group at the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute. His story is certainly worth reading.
The COVID-19 pandemic marked a before and after in our history. Not only worldwide, but also at the level of our city, our neighborhood, Barceloneta and, obviously, its hospital. At the Hospital del Mar, the life of all the professionals who were part of it changed us. Five years after the beginning of the health crisis, we remember those days with a mixture of emotions: uncertainty, exhaustion, but also vocation and great commitment.
The first months of the pandemic were a real turmoil. In a matter of days, we transformed spaces in the hospital to be able to attend to the avalanche of patients arriving with severe respiratory insufficiency. The structure of the hospital was radically changed, ICU beds were multiplied, services were reorganized and all professionals threw themselves into the care, regardless of their specialty of origin. The hospital was transformed into a huge COVID unit in which teams worked tirelessly on the front line in the fight against SARS-CoV-2.
One of the most striking memories of those days was the absolute uncertainty. We had no clear treatment, protocols were constantly changing and, above all, the lack of resources was a daily battle.
As infectologists we thought this could happen. There were moments similar to history that bore great similarities to what was happening. But as physicians and citizens, we thought this would never come to us. We were wrong. We had to face the constant pressure of a situation we could never have imagined, the anguish of not knowing how many more patients would arrive each day. But nevertheless, the commitment of the healthcare teams never wavered. The entire hospital staff joined forces, regardless of specialty, professional group or situation. Everyone joined forces to do our best in the worst-case scenario.
The emotional impact of the pandemic also left a deep impression. The loneliness of the patients, the impossibility for their families to accompany them and the farewells through screens were some of the hardest experiences we lived through. However, learning and positive changes also emerged from this crisis. Telemedicine and lung ultrasound became part of everyday life, and the ability of the healthcare system to reorganize and adapt was demonstrated powerfully.
On a collective level, the pandemic reminded us of the importance of teamwork and responsiveness in the face of a global health crisis. It taught us that healthcare is a fundamental pillar that must be protected and strengthened. And, although eventually the applause died down and normalcy returned to our lives, we still carry the learning from those days with us in the hospital.
Today, five years later, COVID-19 is still with us, but it has clearly changed. We have advanced in vaccines, treatments and prevention strategies. But the important thing is that we have grown as professionals and as an institution. The pandemic marked us, without a doubt, but it also made us stronger, more supportive and more aware of the importance of our work. May this experience serve us to continue improving and always remember the dedication and commitment that defined those days at the Hospital del Mar.
