Snippets from the Age of COVID-19: May 4, 2020.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists, and other allied health care personnel have been in the spotlight as being at the forefront in the battle to fight this dreaded malady. These courageous men and women are fighting to keep people alive.

But what about those patients who have succumbed to this disease? They don't just magically disappear. The people retrieving the bodies and prepping them for burial or cremation are, in my opinion, the unsung heroes of this pandemic.

The COVID-19 virus can remain alive after patients expire. The transporters must exercise caution, wear proper protective equipment, and ensure that they adhere to procedures so that others do not get infected.

The sheer numbers of deaths can also affect these workers mentally. It's hard to face death every day and come out unscathed.