Dr Brieva is the director of John Hunter Hospital's Intensive Care Unit (ICU), where a highly skilled team of doctors, nurses, physiotherapists and allied health workers are treating COVID-19 patients "at the most serious level of the illness", who need respiratory support.

"We see people when they need to be on a ventilator," he said.

"Once you lose your ability to breathe on your own, we give you an anaesthetic, a sedative and we connect you to a breathing machine that takes control over the breathing, takes control over the level of oxygen you receive and allows you to recover from the illness, without having to be stressed or struggling for breath."

Dr Brieva said the ICU had seen five patients who required ventilation, including one currently on life support.

The atmosphere, he said, was one of determined focus.

"Although we are seeing there is a sense of stress in the community about what happens with COVID, the feeling and the operation every day in intensive care is extremely calm, extremely skilled and well prepared."

He said the public's help had made their jobs easier.

"I think we're going extremely well," he said.

"We from intensive care give credit to one, the authorities that have prepared a pandemic plan that has been very well executed.

"Second is to the public health departments who are working 24/7 to contain the pandemic in the community - and equally important is the community who through social isolation and distancing have created the perfect environment for us to work safely.

"For us it's all about numbers and the reason we are calm and controlled is because the community has been doing a great job in following the directions."

Dr Brieva works around 12 hours on five or six days every week, but calls mean it's a 24/7 job.

"COVID-19 is, will be for the next few weeks and has been for the past few weeks a constant topic in conversations and is really hard to escape," he said.

"I feel responsible for the ICU staff, I feel responsible for the patients that come to intensive care and I feel responsible for my family.

"So there's a lot of weight on my shoulders in terms of making sure that everybody gets home at the end of the day safe."

Argentina born Dr Brieva graduated from medical school in 1994, spent four years working as a resident and registrar and did his pulmonary and critical care fellowship in the United States.

He arrived in Newcastle in 2002. He said he was motivated by two things.

"I love this job today the same way I loved it the first day I became an intern," he said.

"The second one is that at the end of the day when I drive home I know there's a family waiting."

He holds three goals: maintaining "leadership and calmness" to ensure staff can help patients as effectively as possible, keeping staff safe and keeping himself and his family safe.

"No-one on my staff could have been doing what they're doing without the support of their loved ones."

Dr Brieva said he takes all possible precautions to reduce his risk of exposure and the chance of transmitting the virus to his wife - who is "not free of her health problems" - and three children.

If he becomes ill he'll live in a separate part of their house.

He currently tries to disconnect at home by fishing with his wife and maximising every hour with "meaningful" activities such as walks, boating, Zoom conversations and "virtual barbecues".

But his patients are never far from his thoughts.

"As a world we will never be free from pandemics or illnesses," he said.

"History tells us as human beings we were always able to defeat them.

"Whether it was polio, influenza, smallpox, measles, we were always able to defeat them and I am sure we will do the same with coronavirus.

"The matter in the meantime is of having good leadership, a good plan, being prepared, being calm and the whole community to look after each other.

"That's how pandemics are destroyed or overcome, it's by community effort - it's not a doctor's effort."

He said life would return to normal.

"We know COVID is here to stay for at least the next six to eight months, not as in a fearful enemy, but as a controllable illness.

"We will learn that there is a level of hygiene and a level of precaution we'll need to take in the community. I think we will be left with a sense of social responsibility.

"We will be guided by the public health department and the experts to tell us 'Jorge, now life can go back to normal' ... and I will celebrate with friends and family in a big barbecue on the beach somewhere."

While you're with us, did you know the Newcastle Herald offers breaking news alerts, daily email newsletters and more? Keep up to date with all the local news - sign up here

IN THE NEWS: