BUFFALO, N.Y. — We've been hearing from healthcare workers from WNY who are in New York City on the front lines of the coronavirus outbreak.
And now, we're hearing from a nurse from Buffalo who says she's in quarantine with COVID-like symptoms.
Jill Ector is a former adjunct professor in nursing at D'Youville College.
She resigned from her post to work as a nurse practitioner at Lincoln Medical Center in the Bronx, caring for COVID-19 patients.
"It's been humbling and its been life changing," Ector said, "I really felt compelled to help. Here, it's been very challenging. Things are definitely improving. The first week was absolutely horrendous."
Now, she says she's dealing with a new challenge – coronavirus symptoms and being in quarantine.
"The symptoms that I had were mild, they were very generalized. I was feeling extremely fatigued, some weakness, a little shaky," she said.
But, over the last few days, she says she's been feeling better and that the Erie County Health Department has told her, a test for coronavirus has come back negative.
There's no time frame for when she'll be allowed to go back to work.
Another nurse in NYC with WNY ties is Monica Morelli. She's from Elma and now lives in Florida. Morelli says she's been caring for coronavirus patients for the past week.
"There's days that you're very emotional. It's hard, but I know I'm making a difference and I'm so happy to be here," Morelli said.
The two nurses share the same concern.
"I do think that people are very worried though when things start opening up, what it's going to be like," Morelli said.
"We're sort of holding our breath wondering if there's going to be another surge, as people begin to go out," Ector said.
Both Ector and Morelli say they're on contracts to work in New York City until the end of May.
Ector says that she is particularly disappointed in not seeing her daughter commissioned as an officer in the Army from Norwich University. The full ceremony has been postponed, but there will be a smaller ceremony held in Buffalo on Sunday.
"The hardest part for me has been seeing these people not having the family and the loved ones there with them through this," Ector said.
