Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
Previous village trip clinics were a line longer than the eye can see, people crowded everywhere, and a never-ending noise of people wanting to be seen and have their needs heard.
Now, a post-COVID clinic is:
· Team member temperature checks as we leave the bus
· Cones lined up 6’ apart to make sure patients are socially distanced
· Full PPE for direct patient contact (gown, N95 mask, face shield, and gloves)
· Masks for everyone
· Patient temperature, a filled-out government COVID tracing questionnaire, bagging up the masks they are currently wearing, a new mask, and hand sanitizer before they even get through the gate
Once through the gate things become more “normal” with the Albendazole, local volunteers filling out the tops of the triage forms, triage, and clinics, but then the realization that we have 4 bunches of 36 or 38 patients reminds us that things are different.
We all miss the controlled chaos and the numbers of people that we can touch each day, but at the same point the providers love being able to serve the patients fully and not just have to focus on their prime complaints.
Change is never easy and sometimes it’s for the worst and sometimes the best. We are all learning and adjusting but ultimately, we are so happy to be back and serving the people that we love.
