The COVID 19 Pandemic Effect on My Life

 3 effects of the pandemic on my life: 

1st start with the pandemic background 

Work: 

• Changes at work 
• N 95s 
• New gowns and masks from the NYC DOH 
• Dangers of on the job infection 

Education: 

• Already taking online courses, not too much shift 
• Biochemistry online – radically different without lab 

When the coronavirus pandemic first started to show up on the regular news, I saw it as somewhat of a novelty disease like the earlier Ebola scares. I was a medical assistant in a small private practice and international topics like epidemics were distant issues. However, as news continued to filter down of the growing severity of the situation, a chilling atmosphere developed at work. In late February, we had one patient suffering from persistent cough despite using cough suppressants and other medications. Fearing for the worse, the doctor advised the patient to go to the hospital. At the hospital he was placed on a ventilator, but within a week he passed away. His death was foreboding sign of things to come. Within weeks a stream of death notices came in, resulting in the private practice being closed for almost an entire month. 

With the clinic closed, I was stuck at home with only online courses to keep me busy. At first, I did not mind the online-only format as it allowed me extra time to sleep or rest before class. As the weeks dragged on, however, I found myself struggling with the online setup. The voice coming through the screen was hypnotic and the learning process was noninteractive. I felt myself at the brink of falling asleep multiple times. Compounding these difficulties was the sense of isolation from the rest of the class. While sleep could be combatted with periodic breaks and snacks, the inherent problem of online learning, the lack of physical and social interaction, remained. The issues were especially noticeable with the lab portion of my biochemistry class, which attempted to use interactive games to make biochemical process more tangible. However, not working with my physical hands made the entire experience forgettable. To make up for my poor class learning, I had to study for hours after class with a close assortment of textbooks and workbooks. Only after rigorously reading could I manage to acquire somewhat decent and acceptable grades. 

Eventually the clinic was reopened and the doctor began taking in a limited number of patients in person. Most patients were still be treated via telehealth, but severe cases were seen in person. Due to the risk of contracting COVID 19, all the staff now had to don N95 respirators, face shields, and isolation gowns. In addition, all surfaces had to be cleaned with sanitizing wipes periodically. Coming face to face with sick patients during this time was extremely stressful as I had to worry not only about my own safety, but also for my parents and grandparents who I lived with. Thankfully I was able to get the Moderna vaccine early in 2021 when it was first offered and that assuage my fears significantly.