PARAMEDICS ON FRONT LINES
Playing key roles during health crisis
Dr. Horacio Arruda has become a familiar face and a reassuring voice during the government’s daily updates on the coronavirus pandemic. His tips on handwashing and making Portuguese tarts have endeared him to Quebecers everywhere.
But he’s not the only Portuguese Quebecer playing a key role during the current public health crisis.
As an Urgences Santé paramedic, Joshua Arruda-aguiar is one of 1,000 paramedics tasked with transporting suspected COVID -19 patients from homes and medical centres to hospitals.
Urgences Santé has been receiving between 50 to 60 calls a day for suspected cases of COVID-19 in Montreal or Laval.
“Some have trouble breathing and some (patients) are in their 30s and 40s,” said Arruda-aguiar, who has been with Urgences Santé for almost two years.
“Some people are scared and others are accepting it.”
Arruda-aguiar, 25, said he’s concerned about becoming ill or spreading the virus, but added his personal protection equipment keeps him safe.
With community spread in Montreal, paramedics are required to wear surgical masks, gloves and protective eyewear before answering a call. If the patient has a fever or a dry cough, the paramedics wear an N95 mask, which offers more protection, and a gown.
Like many Quebecers, Arruda-aguiar heard news reports about the coronavirus spreading in Wuhan, China just after Christmas. But he never imagined that just a few months later most of Quebec would be locked down.
The first day of the lockdown in March was the most stressful shift of his career.
“Everyone was stressed and somewhat in fear,” Arruda-aguiar recalled.
He and his partner were called to a medical clinic to transport a suspected COVID-19 patient to the hospital. The patient had recently travelled and had a fever.
The paramedics remained two metres away from the patient while they questioned her and then drove her to the hospital. When other patients saw them enter the clinic in their protective gear, several quickly moved away.
“I think she sort of knew (that she might have COVID -19) and she understood that we were protecting ourselves,” Arruda-aguiar said.
Arruda-aguiar said Quebecers are doing a good job following the government’s social distancing guidelines, adding that downtown Montreal is empty, especially on the weekends.
All essential service workers, including hospital employees, grocery store clerks and truckers, are all working hard to make sure society functions, Arruda-aguiar said.
“But the battle can’t be won alone,” he added. “We need people to help us and follow the rules.”
So far, four Urgences Santé paramedics have tested positive for COVID-19 and are recovering at home.
“It’s a stressful time for everyone,” said Sylvain Lafrance, an Urgences Santé spokesperson. “Anyone on the front line is a soldier is this war.”
No paramedics have quit during the pandemic and several have offered to cancel or delay vacations.
The number of calls to Urgences Santé have dropped between 10 and 15 per cent since the shutdown because far fewer people are at work or on the road.
However, it’s taking paramedics a bit longer to answer calls because they have to put on their protective gear and wipe down the ambulance after every transport, Lafrance said.
Arruda-aguiar said he and his colleagues are taking the social distancing rules seriously. There’s less chit-chat with hospital staff and small groups of paramedics no longer meet for lunch.
Arruda-aguiar has also stopped visiting his parents and hanging out with friends because he’s worried he may infect them.
“I told my mom I can’t come and see them anymore,” said Arruda-aguiar, a graduate of Rosemount High School who lives in Villeray. “I am on Facetime with friends and we do phone calls. It’s a big change in my life.”
Before his night shifts, Arruda-aguiar sometimes watches the daily briefings from Quebec City to get an update from Premier François Legault and Arruda.
Arruda-aguiar believes the government has done a good job managing the crisis and said Arruda has been an effective communicator.
“He’s very charismatic and he knows how to get a message across without it being complicated,” the paramedic said.
Many people in Montreal’s Portuguese community are proud of Arruda’s high profile in the fight against the virus, Arruda-aguiar said.
“They’re proud of what he has been able to accomplish and how everyone is looking to him for help.”
Colleagues at work have commented on the similar last names and wondered whether the two men could be related — both have family ties to the Azores.
“People are joking around, asking: ‘Is he your cousin or your father?’ ” Arruda-aguiar said. “Maybe we are distant cousins.”