WATERBURY, Conn. — It has been one year since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic.
To mark the somber anniversary, Trinity Health of New England’s four acute care hospitals gathered Thursday morning at their respective locations to thank colleagues who worked and continue to work tirelessly to care for patients and remember the lives lost to COVID-19.
“Here we are one year later, 30 million people have had COVID, over 500 thousand have died, over 250 have died right here in this hospital and we just had no idea that was coming," said Saint Mary's Hospital president Dr. Steven Schneider.
“In his speech that day, the director-general said this: ready your hospitals, protect and train your health workers, and let’s all look out for each other because we need each other," said Sister Dolores Lahr, CSJ, the Saint Mary’s Hospital Executive Director of Mission Integration.
Nurses also shared their experiences during the pandemic.
"My patients, I remember them all. I remember their room numbers, their names, their faces, the things that they told me, and the look in their eyes. Some were young. Some were older. A sweet married couple who were cohorted in the same room. A young woman who lost her husband in the ICU," said Shayna Smegielski, RN.
Local first responders also joined the Saint Mary's Hospital community for Thursday's ceremony.
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