The Dominican sisters say they will help “regardless of the consequences” to their own health.
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A team of 10 sisters from the Congregation of St. Dominic have rushed to a Polish nursing home after an outbreak of COVID-19 has infected 15 employees and nearly 30 residents. The facility was further understaffed after several of the employees resigned for fear of infection.
The Polish TV site TVN24 reports that the outbreak occurred in a nursing home in Bochnia, Poland, which serves residents with learning disabilities. Once the coronavirus was detected, the staff was decimated by quarantine, which led the sisters to volunteer their time, resources, and most likely their health to maintain the valuable services of this institution.
The nuns have taken up the duties of the staff, caring for the residents in an act of self-sacrifice. They also helped to evacuate the facility so that it could be disinfected by emergency services. The sisters have stated that they will remain on site to provide 24-hour care to the residents, as well as meal preparation, until the staff can return.
Sr. Julietta of the Dominican order told TVN24:
“We just place it all in God’s hands. We sisters want to serve other people regardless of the consequences.”
“We’ll do whatever we can”
“We came here without fear to give ourselves to people who are in great need. We will do our best to relieve them spiritually and physically, emphasized one of the Dominican sisters. The sisters admit that they need gowns, masks, headgear, gloves. “Everything to protect us and our patients,” said another sister.
While nuns are no strangers to nursing, the novel coronavirus is bringing new challenges to the community’s task. For guidance, they are in constant contact with a medical expert who advises them.
The impact of their selfless efforts have already reached further than just the residents. Since they have taken up these duties, there have been several Dominican friars who have expressed a desire to join the sisters in their mission. They have also inspired several of the nursing home staff, who quit from fear of infection, to return to work.
