Health care worker and mother of three young children steps up to the frontlines during COVID-19

COMMUNITY. ♪ >> THERE ARE NO WORDS NEEDED TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS NICOLE ROBINSON’S FAVORITE HOUR OF THE DAY. WHEN THE SINGLE MOM IS REUNITED WITH HER ONE-YEAR-OLD TWIN DAUGHTERS AND 12-YEAR-OLD SON. >> MY TIME IS HANGING OUT WITH MY FAMILY, I WISH I COULD BE HOME 24/7. I LOVE IT. >> THE PANDEMIC HAS CHALLENGED ALL OF US BUT THE BURDEN HAS NOT BEEN EQUAL. >> MY SON HAS ASTHMA. THEN MY MOM IS COMPROMISE, SHE HAS LUPUS. AND DIABETES. BECAUSE MY KID IS COMPROMISE AND MY MOTHER, I DON’T WANT TO TAKE THEM OUT, SO WE KEEP THEM AT HOME. >> GIVEN THOSE CONSIDERATIONS, ROBINSON AND HER FAMILY ARE CHOOSING TO LIVE IN LOCKDOWN UNTIL THERE IS A VACCINE. A CHOICE ANY MOTHER PROTECTING HER CHILDREN MIGHT MAKE WITH EASE. >> WE ALWAYS HAVE A CHOICE. IT MIGHT NOT BE THE CHOICE WE WANTS, BUT MY MANAGER DID ASK, WHAT I HELP? I DID SAY YES. >> NOT EVERY DECISION IS THAT SIMPLE. ROBINSON’S PROFESSIONAL DAYS ARE IN STARK CONTRAST TO HER HOME LIFE. SHE IS ONE OF THOUSANDS OF HEALTH CARE WORKER TO REMAIN ON THE FRONT LINES. >> SINCE I WAS LITTLE, I WANTED TO BE A PEDIATRICIAN AND MY MOM GOT SICK WHEN I WAS OLDER AND I STARTED TAKING CARE OF HER, WHICH MOVED ME INTO HEALTH CARE PARENT MY DAD WORKS FOR THE V.A.. IT IS IN THE BLOOD. >> HAS CARS LINED UP, ROBINSON AND HER COLLEAGUES WILL TEST HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE TODAY FOR COVID-19. >> IS A BUSY DAY. WE ARE COLLECTING SALIVA SPECIMENS FOR COVID. WE HAVE CELL SWABS. YOU HAVE BEEN HERE 2.5 HOURS? >> THIS PARTICULAR JOB IS NOT WHAT ROBINSON SIGNED UP FOR. >> I WAS A PHLEBOTOMIST IN AN OUTPATIENT LAB. I GOT SWITCHED TO INPATIENT AND WAS FURLOUGHED OUT HERE TO THE TENTS. WE HAD TO LEARN QUICKLY WHAT WE WERE DOING. I HAD TO SWITCH EVERYTHING AT MY HOME. MY MOM WATCHES MY KIDS, I WAS NOT AVAILABLE TO HELP MY SON WITH E-LEARNING. >> SHE COULD HAVE SAID NO, SHE COULD HAVE STAYED HOME, BUT HER CALLING CARING FOR STRANGERS MOTIVATED HER COMMITMENTS. >> I WAS NERVOUS AND I DID TRY TO GET OUT OF DOING THE FLOORS. I DID NOT WANT TO BE FRONTLINE AND GET SICK AND TAKE IT OME. I THINK WHEN THE PROTECTION AND EVERYTHING CAME IN, IT WAS EASIER A LITTLE BIT. >> HER DAYS ARE LONG AND THOSE LONG HUBS DON’T COME WITHOUT EFFORT. SHE NOW WORKS SIX DAYS A WEEK. >> GET UP AT 6:33 START GETTING MY BOTTLES REDDY, SO EVERYTHING IS PREPARED FOR MY MOM WHEN I LEAVE AND START GETTING BUDDY FOR WORK. I GET HERE AROUND 7:45 ON A NORMAL DAY. WE START PREPARING, THEN AT 8:30, THE PATIENTS COME, WE TAKE AN HOUR BREAK, THEN IT IS GO HOME, TAKE OFF MY CLOTHES, SHOWER, THEN GO SEE THE FAMILY. >> SACRIFICE ON THE FRONT LINES. THIS STRONG WOMAN MAY NEVER SHARE A VISIBLE SMILE WITH THE COMMUNITY SHE IS SERVING, BUT HER STORY IS WORTH KNOWING. JUST ONE OF SO MANY WHO CARRY MORE THAN THEIR FAIR SHARE OF SERVICE ON THIS DAY. >> I HOPE WE CAN GET BACK TO A NORMAL LIFE WITHOUT WEARING MASKS. I TAKE IT DAY BY DAY. WE DON’T K

Health care worker and mother of three young children steps up to the frontlines during COVID-19

This health care worker is also a single mother, balancing staying safe while testing for COVID-19 at work and three young children at home.

Updated: 8:08 PM EDT Sep 30, 2020

Many health care workers continue to work on the front lines of COVID-19. A job that puts them at the crossroads of professional duties and family sacrifice. Tonight, we meet a woman living life in lockdown but serving her community at a COVID-19 testing site.

NEEDHAM, Mass. —

Many health care workers continue to work on the front lines of COVID-19. A job that puts them at the crossroads of professional duties and family sacrifice. Tonight, we meet a woman living life in lockdown but serving her community at a COVID-19 testing site.