Odalys, one of the first Cuban intensivists to deal with COVID-19

HAVANA, Cuba, Mar 10 (ACN) In late 2019, Cuba began to prepare for the very likely arrival of COVID-19 to the Island. Intense work preceded the appearance of the virus on March 11, 2020, when three Italian tourists tested positive.

Female hands were the first to treat the disease in the country, namely those of Dr. Odalys Marrero, an intensive care specialist at the Pedro Kourí Tropical Institute (IPK). Those were moments of great uncertainty despite the training received, since we knew very little about the virus other than what other countries had published regarding its high rate of transmission and the death toll among health workers, she recalls.

“It was almost impossible to avoid fear, but our conviction and dedication had to be stronger. As doctors we are used to putting our lives in danger and the biggest gain has been to learn to protect ourselves better,” she says.

“How do you deal with such complex moments from an individual point of view?”

“Confident that you will do things well because you are prepared, always keeping a positive mindset in any situations. I had to spend over six months in isolation, barely seeing my family and friends. My husband and daughter had to ‘grow up’ and take over housework, until then entirely on my shoulders.

“I had never been so far away from my loved ones. Even though they told me they were fine, I could tell they were worried about me, but it helped my home to function differently and for the better. Now they support me more at home.”

“Has COVID-19 changed women and their way of going about the household?”

“Many women were (and still are) in the red zone, including mothers of small children, whom they had to leave in the care of their mothers or mothers-in-law so as to carry out their mission in health care. With time, many of them internalized the magnitude of the challenge we were facing.
“Situations like this show that we still live in a macho society where the responsibility for a baby falls almost exclusively on the mother when the whole family should play a role therein.

“In terms of work, have you ever felt the need to assert yourself in front of predominantly male groups?”

“Certainly! As women we often have to assert ourselves be recognized in medical atmospheres where men tend to be considered as more important, even if we can do the same things they do, especially in medicine. In the case of intensive care, a demanding specialty that requires complex maneuvers, women can perform successfully without losing their femininity. Regardless, there are still remnants of machismo out there.

“But we should celebrate the fact that we are alive, enjoying our families, and it would be great to know that our COVID-19 vaccine candidates are highly effective so that we can vaccinate our entire population in a relatively short time. Until then, we must keep working and complying with the health protocols.

“Personally, I don't think I have done anything heroic, only that the working conditions were different. If I had to do it again, I would, and with no less devotion.”