COVID-19: Italy's front-line medical heroes, in portraits

The doctors and nurses on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic in Italy are almost unrecognisable behind their masks, scrubs, gloves and hairnets - the flimsy battle armour donned at the start of each shift as the only barrier to contagion.

Doctor Sebastiano Petracca, 48, head physician of the ICU at the Rome's COVID 3 Spoke Casalpalocco Clinic poses for a portrait, during a break in his daily shift. Sometimes hospital workers don't drink water or any liquids during their 8-, 10-, or 12-hour shifts so they don't have to go to the bathroom and disrobe. They follow strict protocols while taking off their hazmat suits, gloves and masks, knowing that one wrong move could mean they, too, will catch the virus.

Lucia Perolari, 24, a nurse at the Humanitas Gavazzeni Hospital in Bergamo. The heroes of Italy's epidemic aren't just treating the sick with respirators and oxygen. They are standing in for sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, who under normal circumstances would be able to visit, hold the hands of sick loved ones and offer a word of encouragement.

Director of the Intensive Care unit Gabriele Tomasoni, 65, at the Brescia Spedali Civic Hospital. "COVID-19 patients must be isolated, and their family members quarantined. The sick are alone, often elderly - and terrified. These are patients who are starving for air," said Dr. Tomasoni. He said his team provides not only life-saving help with machines, but something else, more human.

Daniela Turno, 34, an ICU nurse at the Humanitas Gavazzeni Hospital in Bergamo. "What we are living through is like a tattoo," says Daniela. "It will remain forever."

Doctor Marta Catoni, 33, an immunologist at Rome's COVID 3 Spoke Casalpalocco Clinic. The National Institutes of Health in Italy said there had been a slowing of infections in recent days, suggesting that a national lockdown was starting to show an effect after 2 1/2 weeks. For medical staff, any letup from the chaotic crush that marked the initial stage of the virus' spread in Italy is welcome. But they know they are nowhere near the end of the emergency.

Intensive care unit nurse Michela Pagati, 48, poses for a photo at the Brescia Spedali Civili Hospital, in Brescia.

Martina Papponetti, 25, an ICU nurse at the Humanitas Gavazzeni Hospital in Bergamo.

Alessandro D'Aveni, 33, an oncologist working in the COVID sub-intensive care unit at the Humanitas Gavazzeni Hospital in Bergamo.

Laura Orsini, 39, an administrative worker at Rome's COVID 3 Spoke Casalpalocco Clinic.

Claudia Accardo, ICU transport service at Rome's COVID 3 Spoke Casalpalocco Clinic.

Daniele Rondinella, 30, an ICU nurse at Rome's COVID 3 Spoke Casalpalocco Clinic.

Francesco Tarantini, 54, a nurse at the emergency structures that were set up to ease procedures for the arrival of Covid-19 patients, poses for a portrait at the Brescia Spedali Civili Hospital, in Brescia.

Anna Travezzano, 39, a nurse at the Humanitas Gavazzeni Hospital in Bergamo.

Mirko Perruzza, 43, a nurse at Rome's COVID 3 Spoke Casalpalocco Clinic, poses for a portrait, during a break in his daily shift.

Luca Tarantino, 37, an Emergency nurse at the Humanitas Gavazzeni Hospital in Bergamo, Italy poses for a portrait at the end of his shift.

Adriano Rodriguez, 48, an ICU nurse at Rome's COVID 3 Spoke Casalpalocco Clinic.