Nurse moved out so family safe from virus
A trainee nurse from Derbyshire moved out of home for the first time to protect her family while working on a Covid-19 ward.
Jessica Oates left her home in Brailsford to keep her mum Anita and sister Laura safe from the virus.
the 22-year-old had never lived away from home before, but moved into a flat near the royal Derby Hospital for six weeks from the start of April amid the first wave of the pandemic.
now, Jessica, who works at Queen’s Hospital in Burton, has been nominated as a Covid Hero in our sister paper the Derby telegraph by her older sister Laura, 24, who is understandably incredibly proud of her.
Laura recalled the moment she got the news that her younger sister would be moving to the Covid-19 ward, and praised Jessica for keeping a positive mindset throughout the time she spent away from home. Laura said: “the whole family were worried from the moment we got the news that Jessica would be working on a Covid-19 ward. We had only lost my nan at the start of the year, so knowing the risk that Jessica would be taking at work was terrifying. Jessica had never lived away from home, and as a family we saw each other every day.
“So going from every day to not seeing her face-to-face for six weeks whilst she lived in the flat was hard.
“She took moving into the flat in her stride, she knew that it was the only thing she could do to protect us, no matter how hard it would be for her. But she always had a smile on her face whenever she video-called us, and tried to hide the horrors that she was facing at work, although we could see the trauma she was going through from the sores on her face from wearing PPE and the splits in her hands from constantly using hand sanitiser.
“When she wasn’t at work, she was keeping us entertained by sending us videos she had created on tiktok. All these things she did to show us she was all right helped remove a little of the fear of her working in a Covid environment.
“When Jessica was finally able to return home, we were so proud of her and never wanted to let her go again. i know she was proud of herself for getting through it and giving the best she could for her patients.”
Although two years older than Jessica, Laura says she looks up to her younger sister and sees her as a role model. Laura said: “Most people say it should be the eldest sister that sets the example for the youngest to look up to but with Jessica it is the other way round. She has set the example and i am in awe of her compassion and care.
“Jessica means the world to me, not only are we sisters but she is also my best friend, i would be lost without her. i am incredibly proud of her, she is my hero and role model.”