Necessary Heroes and Ethos, from Fighting Nazis to COVID-19

Healthcare workers on the front lines today face the danger of contracting COVID-19 while treating infected patients, and possibly even dying of this deadly disease. In fact, as of July 2020, over 3,000 healthcare workers have died of COVID-19 worldwide.1 This sad state of affairs is likely due to the stunning virulence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, and the shocking lack of foresight and stewardship that have left many healthcare workers without sufficient personal protective equipment such as N95 respirator masks. Yet this is neither the first nor likely the last time that doctors, nurses, and others will risk their own lives to save the lives of patients. This timeless theme of clinician self-sacrifice is exemplified by the actions of two Polish doctors who risked their lives almost 80 yr ago to save over 8,000 people from Nazi concentration and forced labor camps. Their story bears retelling now in the COVID-19 era, both for its theme of physician self-sacrifice and for its message about the importance of understanding the imperfections of laboratory testing.
Source: Anesthesiology - Category: Anesthesiology Source Type: research