Beirut (AFP)
In the dim light of the corridors of a hospital in Beirut, Lebanese nurses take pictures of themselves with their laptops, revealing the harsh daily life of those on the front lines of the fight against the new coronavirus.
The images, selected by AFP and taken by medical staff, offer a behind-the-scenes look at the Lebanese Hotel-Dieu hospital in France.
Tiredness, prayers, pride and a group spirit: the photos tell the day-to-day story of the roller coaster emotions experienced by nurses for the past two months.
In a photo, a staff member performs a magic trick with a deck of cards. On another, the caregivers meet for a group selfie with their thumbs up.
In yet other photos, a nurse takes out her guitar for a musical interlude, or else a priest gives mass, a moment of meditation between two emergencies.
While their commitment will be celebrated on May 12 on the occasion of International Nurses Day, smiles can be seen behind surgical masks and protective glasses. Even if some have spent weeks working without seeing their families.
And while the spread of Covid-19 disease has been relatively contained in Lebanon, they still fear a second wave of contamination that could overwhelm hospitals.
"People do not understand the difficulties we encounter here," said AFP Sylvia Beudjekian, head nurse of her department at Hôtel-Dieu, one of the main establishments in the Lebanese capital.
"Everyone is tired. We do much more than give treatment to patients (...) We take care of people who do not have their families by their side to cope with their illness," he added. she.
In Lebanon, 859 cases of Covid-19 disease have been officially recorded, with 26 deaths. The country has initiated deconfinement but in recent days, the number of cases announced daily has gone up.
"Everyone cried, there were moments of joy too. This crisis has taught us a lot," says Beudjekian.
"We will continue to do everything to be present for everyone", she promises, while calling on the Lebanese to "be careful and stay at home".
© 2020 AFP