Mount Pleasant Magazine Documenting Covid-19

83 www.CoronavirusMag.com | www.ReadMPM.com | www.ILoveMountPleasant.com feature commitment to patients. Pharmacists played a critical role and were on the front lines with the everyday public who needed daily access to their prescriptions. After all, many of the less severe cases of coronavirus had to obtain their medications from the local drug store. The list of hometown heroes in the health care world doesn’t stop there. All these well-regarded professionals were battling the front lines with their custodial staffs. Everyone who stepped into a hospital, nursing home or pharmacy put themselves in harm’s way. The proper disposal of medical waste and maintenance of hospital rooms and medical offices were just as crucial to stop the spread of the virus. Many stories were reported of various management personnel stepping in to help with the necessary cleaning and disinfecting. Emergency medical technicians that include area firefighters answered emergency calls and dispatched directly to contaminated homes. Imagine getting the call and not knowing exactly what you were responding to at any given moment. Day in and day out with long, exhausting shifts of treating the ill, crying over those that lost their lives, crying with those that survived and carrying the load for so many more years to come, health care workers in all aspects, truly are our hometown heroes. President Trump acknowledged health care professionals, referring to them as brave patriots, by proclaiming March 30 as National Doctors’ Day: “We express our immense gratitude to the men and women who are caring for and treating patients across our country and whose commitment to serving others has never been clearer. Their contributions to the health and well-being of every American are immeasurable. As one Nation, we pray for their continued health and strength, and we ask God to bless them with the wisdom and resolute spirit to care for all those who need healing,” he stated on whitehouse.gov. Photos by Juli Kaplan. PHARMACISTS O ftentimes, pharmacists are forgotten as being on the front lines of the nation’s response to the pandemic, providing medications and advice to much of the population. Pharmacies are the first stop for people not feeling well, whether it is from the common cold or coronavirus. A pharmacist is professionally qualified to prepare and dispense medicinal drugs and often will have a pharmacy technician at the counter. Technicians are health care providers who perform pharmacy- related functions, working collaboratively with a licensed pharmacist. Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians work at your local groceries, drug stores and independent locations, as well as within hospitals and medical centers.