The creation of isolation centres was one of the measures taken by our government against the Covid 19 pandemic. The aim is to provide the opportunity to isolate people who may have the disease or have had contact with people who have tested positive. Each centre has medical staff consisting of doctors and nurses. There are also microbiologists to handle samples and staff responsible for sterilisation of the premises and other basic work on site.

My experience as a volunteer in the isolation centre of the University of Matanzas was a marathon of emotions. I was asked for help. In the beginning I had my doubts and it took me a few hours to make up my mind. But I saw it as my duty – as a human being and as a Christian. So I agreed. The work was quite hard. We are 4 volunteers who are responsible for 31 patients. Our tasks are distributing meals, breakfast, lunch, afternoon and morning snacks, washing the utensils, cleaning the premises, disinfecting the surfaces, changing the sheets, towels and face masks, distributing items of personal care, taking care of the complaints and other tasks – every day for 14 days.

At first I was proud to have made my contribution during the crisis. Then I was quite exhausted and sometimes full of fear, especially when we received the test results. Did I test “positive”? In this time of so much tension, I had decided not to inform my family of my decision because of my mother’s fragile state of health. So I had only the support of my brothers and sisters with their prayers and I knew that I had the protection of the heavenly Father.

Now I am waiting for the results of my test in an isolation centre for doctors and volunteers. Here I am the patient in quarantine and look back with gratitude on 14 days of service in this crisis.