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Collected Item: “Working in Health Care During a Pandemic”

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Working in Health Care During a Pandemic

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Photo

Tell us a story; share your experience. Describe what the object or story you've uploaded says about the pandemic, and/or why what you've submitted is important to you.

Back in March when we all went into quarantine as a result of the Coronavirus outbreak, I immediately got a call from work saying that they needed people to work because the elder staff had called out. I work as a Pharmacy Technician at a family-owned local pharmacy called Keyes Drug. I have been working here for almost four years, but at the time I had stopped because of living in the city at my college dorm. Once we got sent home, it was all the more reason to step up and work. So I started working at the pharmacy again almost full time every day when this craziness was going on. I got used to the routine of cleansing and wearing a mask, and the life of an essential worker during a pandemic. It was an absolute nightmare. We had no staff and I had to manage three people’s jobs. People were rude and angry all the time, but it wasn’t surprising considering they were stuck at home for weeks that would turn into months. I wasn’t able to take breaks most days, which caused me to lose a lot of weight in 3-4 months. At the end of the day, I knew I was doing service for the people of my community by providing them with medical care and their prescriptions. On the bright side, I was making money while my mom was unemployed, so I was able to help out a little. In times like these, we young people have to step up and take responsibility when the elderly can’t.

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Nika Faraji

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2020-11-12
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