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Idaho nurse looks back at the last 6 months of the COVID-19 pandemic

In November, The 208 spoke with a nurse who was at her wit's end about her frustrations with the pandemic. Six months later, she feels relief that the end is near.

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TWIN FALLS, Idaho — When The 208 first spoke with St. Luke's Magic Valley Regional Medical Center nurse Ryann Sharp in November, just before Idaho's surge in COVID-19 cases, she was at her wit's end. Six months later, she told KTVB that they're still busier than ever but feels relieved that the end of the pandemic is near.

When she first spoke with KTVB, Idaho reported hundreds of people were hospitalized due to COVID-19. Now, it's down to dozens.

"I mean we're still tired. Our small community, especially our COVID numbers, are down, but we're still busier than ever," she said. "So we're still tired but I still get sad when I think about 2020 and my COVID patients and the people I took care of in that time."

Sharp added that now the Gem State's COVID-19 numbers are down, those who doubted the pandemic are "still brushing it off like it wasn't that big of a thing."

In November, she said on social media that people should check in on people they know in the healthcare profession and make sure they're doing okay. Sharp now thinks they're doing okay.

"I think the pandemic brought us closer together than ever," she explained. "We had to rely on each other in ways that we didn't think we were going to have to and we needed each other in those moments and I think since then it's definitely better. We're united is the best way to put it."

When looking back at the last six months, Sharp said she feels relieved that the COVID-19 pandemic is almost over and the vaccines have given hope.

While vaccines may put an end to the coronavirus pandemic sooner than anticipated, Sharp said she still wants people to be aware that the virus still poses a threat.

"It's not gone no matter what you believe or what you see," she said. "We still have patients that are fighting this virus. We still have people that are coming in because of side effects from this virus, long term, so just be safe."

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