In an article published in Provider Magazine (AHCA/NCAL), CEO Mark Parkinson likened the COVID-19 pandemic to a marathon. In hindsight that makes a lot of sense! When we were first made aware of the virus, it was in China and other parts of the world. We weren’t the first to get infected and many of us basically said “nah, they are overreacting.” Now here we are, over 7 months into the siege and we are still battling the virus.

I remember it clearly: walking through airports around the country with the big screen TVs showing national news saying “don’t wear a mask,” so of course we didn’t wear masks. Now you can’t leave your home without a mask because the experts have determined that it is the easiest way to assist in preventing the spread of the virus. The good news is that PPE is more readily available now than it was 6 months ago. We are able to secure the equipment we need to allow us to care for our residents.

So, what does this mean going forward? A marathon? If there is any good news coming out of this latest information, it is that President Trump has promised that long-term care communities will have priority once a vaccine is approved. This includes staff and residents and will come with no strings attached and no cost to the providers.

At the end of the day we are fatigued and still have a lot of work ahead of us but we can do it, we’ve got this and with the support of AHCA/NCAL and the Federal government, there really is a light at the end of the tunnel!

Stay the course, stay well, stay safe and stay tuned!