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Emergency room nurse explains what it's like being on the front lines of the front line

Alex Rotolo said they treat every patient as if they have COVID-19 out of an abundance of caution.

BUFFALO, N.Y. — We hear a lot about the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic, and in many ways, hospital emergency rooms are the front lines of the front line. 

In honor of Nurses Week, 2 On Your Side spoke with Alex Rotolo, a critical care nurse in the E.R. at Buffalo General. He says these days, they act as if every patient who walks through their doors has COVID-19, regardless of their symptoms.

From the amount of PPE Alex has to wear on the job, to the precautions he takes when he gets home to his fiance Chelsea, he says the virus is top of mind all the time. However, he says it's been very encouraging to see the community support and donations of meals and PPE. He works the overnight shift, and says it's like a buffet every time he gets to work. 

"I think we're all just in awe, like we just can't even believe like how much they are supporting us," Rotolo said. "As bad at this is, this is a historical moment. Textbooks are going to be re-written. This is incredible, so after this is all said and done, we're going to learn a lot from this and yeah, I'm definitely be going to telling my kids about this."

Alex has been a critical care nurse at the hospital for four years. He first became interested in the medical field when he was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at two-years-old, and got used to regular doctor appointments and hospital visits. It's a career he now shares with his twin sister, Emily.

"As far as our current situation goes, it's physically and psychologically taxing," Rotolo said. "This is the type of think you read in a textbook and you really never think you're going to be a part of it. Unfortunately this is our reality and bottom line is, if you need our services we're going to be there for you. "

Nurses Week continues through Tuesday, March 12. Share your photos with us using the hashtag #BeOn2. 

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