Coronavirus Pandemic: Video of Doctor Refusing His Son’s Hug Kicks the Internet in Its Heart

A new viral video shows a doctor refusing to hug his son to protect him from the coronavirus, and it has the internet in tears. The clip comes from Saudi Arabia, where the scrub-clad doctor breaks down in tears as his son attempts to hug him. So far, the doctor has not been identified.

The video went viral on Twitter after journalists and other prominent accounts shared it, though none could attribute its origin. It is just six seconds long, but it shows a child running towards his father, who has apparently just come through the doorway. The child comes to an abrupt stop as his father apparently warns him away. The doctor then falls slowly into a crouch, crying at having to refuse contact with his own son.

People online shared their tearful reactions to the video, saying it was emblematic of the struggle presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. Many praised the doctor for his selflessness and hoped that he was able to find some kind of comfort in spite of this crisis.

“I’m not crying you’re crying,” one person tweeted with teary-eyed emojis

“This is the face of sacrifice. We owe our medical professionals more than we can ever give,” added another.

“This is so heartbreaking to even just watch!” wrote a third.

Some even chimed in to say that their family was going through similar heartbreak right now, as those in the medical profession have to isolate from their own loved ones.

“I totally get it. My wife goes through this every single day. It’s heartbreaking but that is the life we live. Our daughter is immune compromised to make things worse,” one person wrote.

Around the world, doctors, nurses and other medical professionals are being praised as the heroes of this global pandemic. In New York City this week, the Empire State Building has been flashing a siren light like a heartbeat at its peak, honoring the life-saving work of medical staff overseeing the city’s sick.

At the time of this writing, there are over 823,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 worldwide. There are 40,636 confirmed deaths from the virus worldwide, with 162,937 confirmed recoveries.

The U.S. is now the global epicenter of the virus, with over 182,000 cases. The numbers are still rising, with 3,564 confirmed deaths and 5,995 recoveries from the virus.

Experts still say that social distancing is the best way to combat the virus. Not only does this help individuals avoid contracting it, but it slows the communal spread, helping to lessen the workload for the medical infrastructure.

For the latest on the coronavirus pandemic, visit the CDC’s website.