N.J. Nurse Sofia Burke's Entire Family Contracts COVID, With Deadly Consequences: 'We Let Our Guard Down For One Second'
ELMWOOD PARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- We know COVID is easily transferrable, so it's not unusual to hear of an entire family becoming infected.
For one family, the infection came after an act of kindness.
"I'm sitting in a bed completely feeling useless... because we let our guard down for one second," said Sofia Burke.
Burke is a nurse in Elmwood Park who has taken extreme measures to keep the virus from coming home with her.
She was successful, but recently her mother gave a ride to a friend with a cough.
"She claimed she had a cold, a simple cold," Sofia said. "It turned out she had COVID and was a super-spreader... . My mother let her guard down for one moment. One moment. And in that swift moment, my entire family was affected."
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A selfless act with dire consequences. Sofia's father passed last week, and her mother is now on oxygen, unable to breathe on her own. Her children are dealing with it, too.
"My 2-year-old with diabetes contracted the virus. Although she has no recurring issues, she had to endure high fevers and the side effects of having COVID," Sofia said.
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As the nation tries to balance safety with the need to work for financial security, it's a dilemma that needs context.
"Yes, we have to survive. But we're fighting a virus. We're fighting a pandemic that will kill us. We're not immune to it," Sofia said. "Wouldn't you want to walk away with your family alive, healthy, without nerve damage? You don't want to spend the money you have on funerals and burying your loved ones."
Perspective from a COVID victim in a hospital bed.
A GoFundMe has been started to help cover funeral medical expenses. To find out more, CLICK HERE.
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