Saudi Nurse Breaks Down As He’s Forced to Refuse Son’s Hug After Hospital Shift

(Illustration - Getty Images)

A heart-wrenching video of a nurse breaking down as he avoids hugging his child after a shift highlights the psychological havoc created by the CCP virus, commonly known as novel coronavirus.

The seconds-long, moving footage shows Nasser Ali Al-Shahrani, who works at the King Salman Hospital in Riyadh, interacting with his son Mohammad. The exhausted father returning home from caring for the COVID-19 patients only to have to avoid his own child exemplifies the emotional cost of the pandemic for the world’s healthcare providers.

The little boy spots Al-Shahrani at the door of the family home and runs with open arms to greet his father. However, as a reflex response, Al-Shahrani quickly raises his hand and says, “No, no,” instructing the little boy not to approach him.

Then, seeing his son stop in his tracks, shocked, the doctor sinks to the ground with his head in his hands, clearly distraught by not being able to embrace his own child for fear of transmitting the virus.

“The aim of the clip was to make citizens and residents aware of hazards of the coronavirus and to comply with arrangements and instructions of the Health Ministry,” Al-Shahrani told the Arabic language newspaper Okaz, according to Gulf News.

The nurse added that it is a protocol for all hospital staff to leave their protective gloves and face masks at the hospital and that he usually calls ahead to request that his wife stops their children from greeting him until he has changed out of his scrubs.

Al-Shahrani told the outlet that it is also crucial for all medical personnel to sterilize their hands and take a shower upon returning home. “All colleagues should avoid approaching their children and families until they wash their hands and take the necessary precautions,” he said.

The heartbreaking footage of the Saudi nurse and his young son was posted on social media on March 26, 2020, and has since amassed millions of views, shares, and comments from compassionate social media users.

Illustration - Shutterstock | Zurijeta

The National Center for PTSD recognizes that healthcare workers are especially susceptible to stress during the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus outbreak. Catalysts for heightened stress levels may include—but not be limited to—the physical strain of constantly donning protective equipment, the loneliness associated with physical isolation, and the pressure to remain vigilant regarding infection control procedures.

The U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Saudi Arabia said in a statement that the Saudi government has reported 1,453 confirmed CCP virus cases as of March 31, 2020. The country’s officials have implemented a series of preventative measures to help slow and contain the spreading of the pandemic. All schools and universities are temporarily closed, many markets and shopping malls are suspended, and public gatherings are strictly prohibited.

Restaurants are offering takeaway services only, a nationwide 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew is in place, and public transport, including both international and domestic flights, has been suspended until further notice. Only pharmacies and grocery stores remain open for limited usage.

Nurses disinfect their hands at a drive-up clinic at the University of Washington Medical Center's Northwest Outpatient Medical Center on March 17, 2020. (©Getty Images | Karen Ducey)

While much of the world is being instructed to isolate safely at home, stories such as Al-Shahrani and his young son’s are circulating, informing people of the sacrifices that tireless healthcare workers are making in order to provide front line intensive care to the people who need it.