Story from an Azerbaijani hospital: I’m glad I got to see it with my own eyes

More than 4,000 people in Azerbaijan have been placed in quarantined because of the coronavirus. The majority of them are citizens who returned home from abroad.

When Nigar returned from Turkey, she was taken directly from the Baku airport to quarantine at the central hospital in Jalilabad, in southern Azerbaijan.

“Today is our 14th day of quarantine. We thought they were letting us out, but they just tested us for coronavirus a third time.

Our days are all pretty dismal. They don’t tell us anything, and what’s worse is the stress of not knowing when we’ll get out of here. I’m trying to stay strong.

So I’ll go on the internet, chat with friends, try to distract myself. Ever since the day I was put in quarantine, I’ve had both friends and strangers writing me and telling me to say strong! It’s wonderful.

A lot has changed while I’ve been here.

For example, I used to think, ‘If only I could leave.’ And then I saw what healthcare workers are going through, and my heart ached for the healthcare system. No masks, no disinfectant, and they work in extremely difficult conditions. But despite all this, they don’t lash out at patients, and treat us very kindly and attentively. They always treat you like family.

This place has taught me patience.

I’m not upset that I ended up here – I’m glad I got to see it with my own eyes.

I am mentally preparing for the fact that if I suddenly become infected, I will have to fight the virus off. These days, everyone lives with this possibility. Most important is making sure that once we get home, we don’t infect others.

They allow us to receive packages from home, but I don’t want to trouble anyone, and I will not let my family come down from Baku.

But a friend of a friend lives nearby, and I want to thank her for sending me sweets yesterday! It was such a nice surprise when they brought in a cake for me. I felt happy for the first time in several days.

Also, I really miss my mom’s cooking!”