Michelle Obama thanks health care workers for ‘heroic work’ during coronavirus

Former first lady Michelle Obama shared a message of support and thanks to health care workers in Chicago who are fighting on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic.

The audio message from the first lady was sent to 18 hospitals and three nurses’ unions in her hometown. 

“Hi, everybody. It’s Michelle Obama, and I just want to take a few minutes to let you all know how profoundly grateful Barack and I are for the heroic work that all of you are doing right now in Chicago,” said Obama, who spent several years working at the University of Chicago Medical Center.

“We know that you all are facing overwhelming challenges; you’re working around the clock, spending long hours away from your families, and making impossible decisions day after day. You’re soothing terrified patients, consoling heartbroken loved ones, summoning every ounce of the compassion and strength that you’ve got,” she says in the video. “And I’m just in awe of all of you.”

The former first lady ended her video saying she is “proud” of the health care workers and “praying” for everyone. 

Health care workers have bore the brunt of working on the front lines of the pandemic, facing in some cases overwhelmed emergency rooms and a lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) to keep them safe from contracting and spreading the virus. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in mid-April that more than 9,000 health care workers have tested positive for the virus, including at least 37 who died. The CDC said there were likely numerous other unidentified and unreported cases.

On Thursday, nurses protested outside the White House calling for more PPE, leaving pairs of empty shoes to symbolize their colleagues who died from the virus while treating patients.