Healthcare workers bearing brunt of COVID-19 pandemic

Wednesday, September 23, 2020
Healthcare workers, low-income families bearing brunt of pandemic
Minorities, low-income families and frontline workers, including those in healthcare continue to bear the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic.

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Minorities, low-income families and front line workers, including those in healthcare continue to bear the brunt of the pandemic.

It's estimated more than 900 healthcare workers have died due to COVID-19.

Early in the pandemic, we saw many healthcare workers call attention to limited supplies of personal protective equipment, or PPE. But even with that equipment, doctors, nurses, and support staff face a greater risk of being exposed to high levels of the virus.

Saint Joseph's University posted on it's alumni Facebook page about the passing of 28-year-old Adeline Fagan.

Fagan was a 2014 graduate who went on to complete medical school in Buffalo, New York.

"When she walked across the stage, we were just beside ourselves, so proud because it was her dream," said her sister, Natalie.

Dr. Fagan then started her residency in Houston.

She was in her second year. Her sisters say she started feeling sick in July and battled the virus for two months. Her parents were with her in Texas.

"My mom told me that when she had to leave, she said to Adeline 'I love you.' And she kissed her and Adeline, as loopy as she was, made a kissy face back back at my mom. And so we knew that she knew she was loved and that were there and even to the end," said Natalie.