Love in a glove: Covid patients are comforted with fake hand filled with warm water so they do not feel alone in Brazilian hospital
- Image showed hand of a bed-ridden patient being clasped by two rubber gloves
- Makeshift solution was created as a way to simulate human contact in isolation
- Brazil has been particularly hard hit by pandemic and trails only US in death toll
Covid patients at a hospital in Brazil are being comforted with ‘fake hands’ so they do not feel alone.
An image shared on social media showed the hand of one bed-ridden patient being clasped by two rubber gloves that had been filled with warm water.
The makeshift solution was created as a way to simulate human contact for those with coronavirus that are being housed on an isolation ward.
Brazil has been particularly hard hit by the pandemic and trails only the United States in the official Covid-19 death toll, recording 361,000 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins University tally.
An image shared on social media showed the hand of one bed-ridden patient being clasped by two rubber gloves that had been filled with warm water
Sadiq Bhat posted the snapshot on Twitter alongside a caption that read: ‘The hand of God — nurses trying to comfort isolated patients in a Brazilian Covid isolation ward.
‘Two disposable gloves tied, full of hot water, simulating impossible human contact.
‘Salute to the front liners and a stark reminder of the grim situation our world is in!’
And other social media users were quick to praise the efforts of healthcare workers.
One commented: ‘Thanks for sharing such a wonderful Brazilian idea that may be followed by each and every one, to provide at least the minimum comfort to the Covid victims all over the world.
‘Kudos to the Brazilian nurses.’
Another added: ‘Fairly well established now that the comfort of physical touch helps in healing. Both good thought and good science on display here.’
And a third simply said: ‘How wonderfully creative and compassionate!’
It comes after Pope Francis offered Brazilians a message of hope and consolation amid soaring coronavirus deaths and infections in the country suffering ‘one of the most difficult tests in its history.’
In a video message to a conference of Brazilian bishops on Thursday, Francis said he was particularly praying for Brazilians who had lost loved ones to the pandemic.
‘Young and old, parents, doctors and volunteers, sacred ministers, rich and poor: the pandemic has spared no one in its wake of suffering.’
He added that it was particularly tragic families could not say goodbye to their loved ones: ‘This leaving without being able to say goodbye, leaving in this stripped-down solitude, is one of the greatest pains for those who leave and those who remain.’
Brazil trails only the United States in the official Covid-19 death toll, recording 361,000 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins University tally.
Public health experts blame President Jair Bolsonaro for refusing to enact strict measures to halt infections and for clashing with governors and mayors who did.