MACON, Ga. — In addition to the many doctors and nurses working on the front lines of this pandemic, respiratory therapists also play a big role in COVID-19 treatment.
They're trained to help people suffering from breathing problems, which is one of the main symptoms of coronavirus.
Jennifer McIntosh has worked as an RT at Coliseum Medical Centers for the last five years, but says the coronavirus outbreak is unlike anything she's ever seen.
"What we're seeing is that any other issues that arise from someone who has contracted the virus are secondary to the pulmonary issues," says McIntosh.
COVID-19 can cause coughing, fever, and headaches, but McIntosh says the virus primarily affects a person's lungs, which respiratory therapists are involved with every COVID-19 patient that's hospitalized.
According to the American Association for Respiratory Care, there's only about 150,000 respiratory therapists like McIntosh in the country, and Coliseum's two Macon hospitals employ about 45 of them.
RTs are also clinically trained and educated on how to use ventilators.
"We have had more intubated and mechanically-ventilated patients than we do on a normal basis—far more," says McIntosh.
Since the onset of COVID-19 in the United States, political leaders have begged medical companies to make more ventilators. They've also asked hospitals share their supply with states like New York, where there's over 100,000 confirmed cases.
McIntosh says it's been stressful, but they've fared well here in Macon.
"It is hard for the public to see what were doing here, because they're not here. Why are they not here? Because we won't let them be here to try and keep them as safe as we possibly can," says McIntosh.
McIntosh says their team is doing their best to treat COVID patients with breathing difficulties and trying to keep them safe.
"It can be very, very severe. It can be the end of life for some people," says McIntosh.
As Georgia's businesses begin to open back up, McIntosh is urging people to continue washing their hands and practicing social distancing so they don't end up in a hospital.
Coliseum spokesperson Robin Parker says their hospitals have 72 ventilators for patients but could get more through their parent company if necessary.
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