COVID-19 cases are breaking records around the country and there is a growing concern as California exceeds 1 million cases.
"It's not time to quit, it's actually time to stand strong," said Dr. Abi Olulade, Sharp Rees-Stealy Family Medicine.
A message of staying vigilant and taking precautions is being shared by doctors and echoed by families who have lost loved ones to coronavirus.
"Like most people, they don't realize how severe COVID-19 is and how contagious it could be and this was just an eye-opener for us," said Brianna Romo.
Romo lost her hero to the virus, her mom, 54-year-old Blanca Ramirez of Imperial Beach.
"I really wanted her to wake up," Romo said. "I kept telling her just be strong and keep fighting don't give up."
Nationally more than 10 million cases have been confirmed in the U.S. at times counting well over 100,000 cases a day as the virus surges across the country.
"It is concerning, it keeps us up at night. We're very worried about it, and you know, these, unfortunately, worst-case scenarios are not hypothetical anymore," said Dr. Olulalde.
Dr. Olulade stresses concerns of healthcare workers getting sick, something San Diego ICU nurse Marianna Cisneros experienced firsthand.
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"To be honest with you I didn't think I was going to make it out alive," said Cisneros. "It was really tough I was praying and that's all you can do when your body is just failing you in every way possible."
While the virus is invisible to us, its impacts are leaving a mark.
"It (coronavirus) doesn't care whether or not they're tired of it. It doesn't care whether or not we miss our family members," said Dr. Olulade. "It's still here and it will continue to spread and run rampant through our community if we let it."
