almost feel invulnerable, but it's hard for them

to see their colleagues being admitted to the hospital

and not have that sense of invulnerability shattered.

I'm Sheri Fink.

I'm a correspondent at The New York Times.

Many years ago, I went to medical school.

Victor Blue, a photographer, and I spent some time

at Brooklyn Hospital.

“So what is he on, drug-wise?”

This hospital, just within the last week,

had almost doubled the capacity to treat patients

in the intensive care unit.

“The opportunity for beds here are pretty significant.”

The staff members from all over the hospital

were helping out, so there were

nurses from the cardiac catheterization lab.

There were podiatry physicians.

There was a neurosurgery physician assistant

helping out.

I think what really stood out to me

was the toll on the medical providers and the fact

that so many of the staff members are sick.

One of the hospital's employees

was admitted to the intensive care unit while I was there.

“And we do that for our nurses, one,

because they actually go through the most P.P.E.,

because they have so many tasks they have to do.”

Dr. Josh Rosenberg — he's an intensive care unit doctor.

I feel like he was bouncing on his toes the whole time.

“Easier and I waste less P.P.E.

And that way I'm in and all the rooms are done.”

And then I found out that he himself had been out

and this was his first day back.

It just highlights how brave the people are

for showing up every day and doing their work.

“The blood gas looks pretty darn skippy.”

In one case, a patient, their cardiac status —

the ability of the heart to pump blood everywhere

that it's needed — was starting to have some problems.

So, in this case, they were starting

what's called a central line.

And that way, they could administer certain drugs

that could help the heart.

And, of course, any time that you're close to a patient

and performing a procedure,

it can be a risk for the health care providers.

But it's not all doom and gloom.

The doctors, the nurses, the staff members —

they're trying not to let it get them down,

trying to focus on the task at hand.

Obviously, this is super difficult.

And when they go home at night, a lot of them

describe just grappling with everything that they're

seeing and experiencing.

But in the moment, they're keeping each other's spirits up.

They're going about the work.

“Yeah, I'll take care of that one.”

When I would ask the health professionals

who I was speaking with at the hospital

whether they had anything else to say,

whether they had a message for the larger public,

their message has been: Stay home, protect yourself,

reduce your risk, follow the recommendations

so that you minimize the chance that you will get sick.

And that helps them be able to take care of people

who really need that help.