Young, healthy, active and having worked for months during the pandemic, he was still surprised when his body became weak.

`I tried to stand up and make a sandwich, but felt very uncomfortable. I used to jog about 8-9 km a day and play volleyball, then go to work. Now I don’t know if I have enough strength to walk.`

After finishing Covid-19 treatment at the hospital, he shared his experience on his personal page.

`Think of the families who want to be with their sick loved ones, but can’t. Think of how silly it is to complain about a mask, when there are people who are literally suffocating. All

For two days straight, Burkard’s fever did not subside.

`I gradually became weak, could work less and had to go back to bed to breathe,` he said.

Dr. Dave Burkard contracted Covid-19 while working at Spectrum Health Hospital.

The director of the medical residency program at Spectrum Health Hospital, where Burkard works, sent him a portable oxygen saturation monitor.

`Being a patient is probably the thing that stresses me the most, because this pandemic has been my life. It affects everyone, but for me, it’s work, it’s home, it’s

Even though he knows that treating Covid-19 means having to quarantine alone, for him, this is still a challenge.

Burkard was treated with oxygen therapy, the antiviral drug remdesivir, steroids and convalescent plasma for three days.

`It’s difficult to receive all that attention. Nurses are the unsung heroes in the fight against the pandemic. They help patients have more motivation to continue,` he said.

After recovering from his illness, Burkard returned home.

Dr. Dave Burkard and his wife.

`Watching people say goodbye to their loved ones is heartbreaking. I’m heartbroken even when the patient gasps and has to have a breathing tube inserted. It’s terrible. As a doctor, I think that feeling sticks with me.`

He believes that having Covid-19 can help him in his career as a doctor, as this experience helps him empathize and understand.

Burkard does not want to criticize anyone, including those who do not wear masks or think Covid-19 is just a scam.

`It’s not about fear, it’s about respecting the people around you. From the hospital, we want to say take this disease seriously. Please listen to us,` Burkard said.