“That’s also a good way to spray virus everywhere because they breathe into it and it aerosolized in their lungs, so we don’t do that anymore,” Squire said. “We’re using inhalers with spacers now.”

Now that more Virginians are staying home, he said he feels projections for supply of PPE and bed capacity is looking much better.

The hospital is handling shifting demands as well as it can, he said, and is working tirelessly to keep employees safe.

As much as his work life has changed, Squire said the pandemic has affected his home life as well.

He’s terrified he’s going to bring COVID-19 home and infect his three children, who are 12, 6 and 3 years old.

“I know that kids for the most part, not always, get much milder symptoms, but a lot of people have a misconception ... the mild cases that we’ve heard about, people felt like they’re one step from death,” he said.

The passenger side of Squire’s truck is now a contamination zone, he said, where he leaves his shoes on the floor after work and sprays them with a disinfectant.