ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — Every time someone posts a rumour or sketchy information about COVID-19 online, Dr. Natalie Bridger’s job gets a little bit harder.
Bridger made headlines last month when she was awarded a 2020 COVID Leadership Award by the Pediatric Chairs of Canada.
A pediatric physician in St. John’s who specializes in infectious diseases, Bridger has been leading Eastern Health’s pandemic response as part of a pandemic preparedness team mobilized early in 2020.
She educated frontline staff and conducted dry runs with mock patients to test operating procedures and to highlight gaps in knowledge, infrastructure and policies.
She’s also brought her knowledge to specialty groups across the province, helping to develop policies and procedures both in and outside health facilities.
“My team has really been on the ground since January, trying to get a handle on this infectious disease and what it means and how we can prevent our staff from acquiring it, but also how we can prevent patients from getting it from other patients.”
Last week, Premier Andrew Furey evoked her name in talking about how difficult it is for health leaders to navigate a sea of myths and lies in the middle of a pandemic.
“I’d like you, Newfoundland and Labrador, to think of Dr. Bridger as rumours and theories swirl — and they inevitably do — throughout your own communities,” he said during a video briefing. “Focus on the clear, solid information coming from public health officials and other trusted sources.”
Bridger, who was born and raised in St. John’s, says every day has been an adventure since the beginning of 2020 when health officials were first mobilized for possible cases in this province.
“My team has really been on the ground since January, trying to get a handle on this infectious disease and what it means and how we can prevent our staff from acquiring it,” she told The Telegram, “but also how we can prevent patients from getting it from other patients.”
And she credits her team, which largely consists of infection control nurses, for the job they’ve done.
“They’ve certainly made this pandemic a lot easier on me because I have such a highly trained, trustworthy, smart team of individuals working around me.”
1. What is your full name?
Natalie Ann Bridger.
2. Where and when were you born?
St. Clare’s Mercy Hospital (St. John’s) in 1979.
3. Where do you live today?
I live in St. John’s.
4. What’s your favourite place in the world?
Probably sitting around my dinner table with family and friends in my home in St. John’s.
5. Who do you follow on social media?
I follow a lot of virologists and epidemiologists these days. I follow lots of people for professional reasons, and organizations like the WHO (World Health Organization) and the Infectious Disease Society of America, and the Government of Newfoundland, obviously. For fun, I follow lots of cooking personalities and music sources — and, obviously, Townie Memes.
6. What would people be surprised to learn about you?
Probably that I’m a pretty good cook.
7. What’s been your favourite year and why?
Probably 2018 because that’s when my son was born.
8. What is the hardest thing you’ve ever done?
Dealing with the pandemic has probably been one of the biggest challenges of my life. It’s been tough personally because I haven’t had as much time to spend with my family as I would normally like. It’s tough when my little boy, whenever he sees a laptop now, he comes over it and sits in front of it and says, “Mom at a meeting.” Professionally, it’s been difficult because it’s just been so challenging to try to keep as calm as possible when my own anxiety is a little higher than it usually is. It’s tough when you see (patients) who’ve suffered indirect consequences of the pandemic. (That includes) people whose health has been worsening because they haven’t been able to get enough food or get housing; these kinds of problems that have sort of bubbled to the surface.
9. Can you describe one experience that changed your life?
When I was a first-year medical student, I had the chance to shadow Dr. Rick Cooper. I went to clinic with him in Carbonear and he ran a full-day pediatric clinic. It was during that day that I witnessed how he worked and how he interacted with the kids and their parents, and I was struck by how much he seemed to enjoy his job. That day sort of galvanized the idea that pediatrics was the specialty for me. He has such a skill with humour, being able to deal with serious problems, but in a light-hearted and fun way.
10. What’s your greatest indulgence?
Before the pandemic, my greatest indulgence was attending music festivals.
11. What is your favourite movie or book?
My favourite movie right now is “Little Orphans,” but I should probably put in a disclaimer that I’m biased because it was a movie that was recently released (and) written by my sister Emily.
12. How do you like to relax?
I like to relax, usually after my little boy goes to bed, just by sitting down and watching an episode of television.
13. What are you reading or watching right now?
Right now, my wife and I have gone back to the very first season of “ER.” It’s kind of cool because that’s the show I was watching when I was thinking about getting into medicine in the first place. It’s just a little bit of cheap nostalgia for me.
14. What is your greatest fear?
My greatest fear is probably driving across the province with no change tables available, Honestly, my greatest fear, now that I have a little boy who is two, and he’s quite active, is that something bad will happen to him because of his tendency to get into danger. And obviously, I would hate to see COVID overtake our province like it’s overtaken some other places. That’s something I’ve lost a fair bit of sleep over.
15. If you were singing Karaoke what would be your song?
I’m a terrible singer, but right now I think the most appropriate choice would be “Under Pressure” by Queen and David Bowie.
16. What is your most treasured possession?
I’ve got a Le Creuset piece of cookware, a cast iron pot, It’s a pink Le Creuset that I got three years ago, and I take it everywhere I go.
17. What physical or personality trait are you most grateful to a parent for?
I’ve got a pretty good memory, and no offence to my dad, but I think I got it from my mom. She’s got a wicked memory and she’s able to make all sorts of different connections.
18. What three people would join you for your dream dinner party?
My dream dinner party would truly be with a bunch of my close friends who live scattered across the country, One’s even in Australia. We’d have dinner parties at our parents’ houses when we were in late high school, early university.
19. What is your best quality, and what is your worst quality?
I think I’m a pretty good listener, so I think that’s probably my best quality. My worst quality… I’m a wicked procrastinator.
20. If you didn’t take this career path, what would have chosen?
I think wistfully a lot about being either a radio DJ or a professional cook. Maybe both. A radio DJ who talks about cooking, with the occasional great playlist in between.
Peter Jackson is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter covering health in St. John’s.
