Kyra Finner
Staff Writer
As of right now, there are a total of 1,170 cases of Corona Virus in Idaho. In the past couple of weeks, we have entered a statewide stay-at-home order and the Idaho Board of Education has been routinely updating their soft closures to expand throughout the school year.
Although many of us are completely quarantined from the rest of the world and have been for a while, there are many essential businesses and workers who don’t get the luxury of staying home to protect themselves.
Tiffany Mitchell is a registered nurse at the Idaho Falls Community Hospital Emergency Room. “I am a nurse in the ER and we see a wide range of patients every day. Special precautions are taken for those patients who present with fever, cough, or shortness of breath,” she said.
“I am glad to be working. As a nurse working in a hospital setting for most of my career, you know that hospitals don’t close and that you may treat patients that are ill and that it is a high-risk career.”
Reanna Blakely is a pharmacy technician in the southeast Idaho area. She says that she wears a mask to prevent further spreading the virus, even if it isn’t the most effective precaution.
“I really just want to prevent myself from getting others sick. Many elderly people come to our pharmacy, so I try to wear gloves and a mask as much as I can. Who knows if I’m a carrier, but I really hope I’m not,” She said.
Wearing the correct protective gear in a professional manner is important in times like these and that’s something that the public needs to understand from a professional standpoint.
As a surgical technician, Kerry is another essential worker for two different medical centers. Even though she’s not directly impacted by COVID-19 yet, it is a worry that’s on her mind coming home from her job every day.
“I work with patients in a surgical center and also I assist the doctor when doing c-sections. We could have a case of COVID-19 with a patient coming in for a c- section. Most of these procedures can be pushed back until the patient is well but not with this. I would just have to risk my own health and do it.”
Tiffany Mitchell has similar worries with the virus. Even though she loves her job and is proactive about COVID-19 in her workplace, she has to think about the effects it may have on her family.
“I do worry about bringing something home. My son has asthma and I would hate for him to get sick. I do pray that our community will not have the devastation that has been seen in New York. I feel blessed that our community and my employer are being proactive with being prepared for the spread of COVID-19.”
Reanna Blakely said that her pharmacy is trying all kinds of precautions for social distancing between the customers and workers.
“There’s not a lot we can do. I try my best to social distance myself, and I sanitize my hands and area as often as I can. We supposedly are getting plexiglass soon, I guess we’ll see.”
With the development of delivery services booming, pharmacies can better separate themselves from customers now. More and more people are getting adjusted to having things directly delivered to their doors and that will assist in social distancing as it becomes more necessary.
“As a nurse in the ER, we have protocols to choose where we place patients with respiratory symptoms. We wear PPE (personal protective equipment), which includes gowns, masks, eye shields, shoe covers, and gloves. Nurses wear a mask and gloves with all patients at this time to prevent the spread of COVID with asymptotic patients,” Tiffany said.
Tiffany described how much she loves being a nurse and helping patients feel comforted in difficult times makes her proud to be on the front lines.
Her message to people who are not considered essential is to please know that the medical community is working nonstop to plan for, treat, and help overcome this pandemic.
“I look forward to the day when everyone is back to work, businesses are flourishing, and life in our great community normalizes,” she said.
“I am grateful to have a job, it would be really stressful if I felt I couldn’t provide for my family,” Kerry said, “but if I get sick I am out of work with no pay. I don’t think my employer would abandon me, but there is no guarantee.”
“As a health care worker, I have to wonder if we are fully prepared for what may be coming to Idaho. I think most people just assume the virus won’t affect us in our small area but that is just not true,” she said.
All areas of medical staff are working extremely hard to keep everyone safe in these times, and it’s important to recognize that work that all essential workers are doing today.
All three of these women have given us an essential look into the lives of medical staff today. The best thing we can do is support our essential workers and social distance until this is over.
“I think it is important for everyone to know washing your hands and social distancing works. Do it. The virus is in our community much more than it is being tested for, so please take it seriously,” Kerry said.
