On the frontline with Covid-19

Jackie Macadam meets some of the frontline workers dealing with the Coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic.

Photo: iStock

WHILST most of us are doing our best to follow the Government’s instructions and staying indoors, life is going on around us.

People fall ill due to other ailments than the Coronavirus Covid-19 and need hospital treatment. Some people are still out committing crimes, seeing the strange change in circumstances as an opportunity rather than a medical necessity. Some people are working in positions that can’t be done from home, but are nonetheless essential to the rest of society’s ongoing success. Bus drivers, supermarket workers and carers, to name but a few. If there’s one good thing that has come out of this pandemic, it’s a new appreciation for just how much underpaid, underappreciated work is done by those people society seldom thinks about.

Teachers are still working with the children of these essential workers in special ‘hubs’.

Elaine Fair from Arbroath, is one such teacher.

“Thank goodness for social media!” she said. “Most people who know me would never have expected me to utter these words! As a primary school teacher of 35 years, who is lucky enough to belong to a strong and caring school community, it has been a lifeline.

“During the lockdown, social media has really been a boon.

“Online staff chats – where there are almost as many laughs as in the staffroom – and being able to keep in touch with parents and children have all helped lessen the feeling of isolation. 

“However, we have lots of concerns… 

“I work with individuals and groups of children who have social and emotional difficulties and like all class teachers, have built strong attachments with my charges. Many of our children are vulnerable and school is the one place where consistency, stability, routine and boundaries make them feel safe and loved …. not to mention the security of knowing there will be one hot meal every day in their tummies. So, we teachers worry about these children.”

And some of the school ‘traditions’ have been changed by the virus as well.

“It makes us sad that we won’t get to say our goodbyes properly to our leavers,” says Elaine. “And all the fun and celebrations that go hand in hand. We worry that these children haven’t had the necessary preparation to ensure a smooth transition to secondary school.

“My school is being used as one of the Hubs for the children of parents who need our support most at this time. We have a thoughtfully laid out set up with a variety of play areas and activities that will teach life skills eg sewing machines, baking and pet care running alongside more energetic choices.

“Packed lunches for children entitled to free meals have also been provided by the council and can be uplifted by all, whether they fit the ‘Hub’ criteria or not.

“Most teachers are keeping up their professional development at home through reading or online courses. We are using innovative and imaginative ways to keep in touch with our students…setting work and sending messages. Our whole staff collated messages of love and support for our children set to the Toy Story theme tune and received many messages back. One teacher I know is reading a chapter of Harry Potter each night to her class, complete with glasses, scarf and scar.

“For our staff and our little people, school is so much more than the 3Rs…it is a family that feels this separation but are doing their best to stay together while they are apart.”

Top left to right: Derek Brown, Elaine Fair, Mark Evans Bottom left to right: Jill Clancy, Peter Birnie, Sheena Orr

Hospitals are not surprisingly right at the forefront of the fight against Covid-19.

“Covid-19 has changed our lives in ways that only a few weeks ago was unimaginable,” says Mark Evans, Deacon and Head of Spiritual Care and Bereavement Lead, NHS Fife. “Healthcare staff have had to develop new ways of working, new ways of caring.

“For Healthcare Chaplains new ways of delivering spiritual care have had to be created. New and challenging ways of working can cause a lot of anxiety. Despite the uncertainty, staff continue to care for their patients whilst worrying about family and loved ones and concerns about their own health.

“More and more we are looking to technology to help us deliver care.

“About 25-30 staff usually attend the Easter Service held in the hospital sanctuary; this year, over 2,000 people watched our Easter message online. However, some areas of our work remain the same and are core to the care Healthcare Chaplains provide.

“Healthcare Chaplains continue to work on the ‘front line’; providing spiritual and religious care to staff and patients 24/7. Many are dealing with big questions about life and death, illness and suffering. Staff have to consider how the pandemic impacts clinical decisions and the resulting ethical questions.

“Chaplains have a unique role in working alongside colleagues and patients, offering a reassuring presence. We are called to simply be present and to listen, providing a safe space where people can tell their story, creating a brave space where staff and patients can explore and express their doubts and deepest fears.

“The way that people die and grieve has also changed and Healthcare Chaplains continue to have an important role in end of life care. Sometimes it’s sitting with patients reading emails or letters from family who are unable to visit or passing on messages from patients to loved ones.

“At a time when clergy are unable to visit, there’s also an increasing need for Chaplains to provide ‘last acts of care’ for people from various religious backgrounds and those with none.

“Throughout the hospital there are pictures and drawings of rainbows sent in by local children. These add more than just colour and brightness – they are symbols of hope, reminders that after the storm there will be peace and beauty. Similarly, through their very presence Healthcare Chaplains help staff to know that they are not alone, that it’s ‘ok not to be ok’ and that they are valued and loved.

“Perhaps most importantly, Chaplains by simply being present in the midst of the anxiety and fear witness to the Easter promise that no matter how dark the world may seem Love will conquer, for love is eternal.”

It’s a sentiment echoed by the Rev Dr Derek Brown, Lead Chaplain with NHS Highland.

“If there is one thing that everyone working in healthcare can agree on it is that none of us have ever had to deal with a situation such as the Covid-19 pandemic presents,” he said.

“The very necessary measures that have to be taken to prepare for the treatment of people severely affected by the virus have cut at the core of the values and the practice of healthcare professionals of every kind. “Wearing personal protective equipment is vital to keeping everyone safe but it changes the relationship between nurse and patient as the essential human contact is lost behind it all,” he says.

“A patient’s loved ones may not be able to be with them through a difficult period of treatment or even at end of life. Those relationships are, in normal times, crucial to the wellbeing of the patient and nurses are having to be creative in helping maintain contact between the patient and their family. Telephone and video conferencing apps will often have to take the place of bedside vigils.

Photo: iStock

Photo: iStock

Throughout the hospital there are pictures and drawings of rainbows sent in by local children. These add more than just colour and brightness – they are symbols of hope, reminders that after the storm there will be peace and beauty.

“Medical staff will have unenviable decisions to make in intensive care if there is insufficient capacity. If you have two patients with similar needs and only one space, who should be given the assistance of a ventilator and who should not? These are not the usual decisions that have to be made.

“Life in the hospital is not normal. There are no outpatients. There are very few visitors. Staff who can work from home are doing so. Procedures and protocols are changed regularly to conform to the latest advice. We are all watching and waiting and are as prepared as we possibly can be.

“It’s changed things for chaplains too. Where we can we deliver spiritual care remotely. It’s not ideal but it works. We’ve done a lot of work with staff to help them prepare for what may lie ahead. They know we are there to support them.

“What we cannot tell is the longer lasting effects of this crisis. How will the bereaved be feeling in the months to come having to deal with the restrictions placed upon them? What effect will the physical, emotional and spiritual intensity of the work that NHS staff have to undertake have on individuals?

“The Lord said to Isaiah: ‘Do not be afraid for I am with you’. For patients, relatives, carers and staff alike those words break the isolation and bring hope.”

CrossReach, the Church of Scotland’s Social Care Council, has also found the present conditions challenging and necessitating change to the way they work – while still caring for those who need their help.

Peter Birnie is Service Leader with CrossReach’s Abstinence Recovery Service based in Glasgow.

“The initial Government announcement brought about some confusion due to its vague nature, however the service reacted immediately,” he explained. “New regulations were discussed to try and minimise risk of infection from outside the service.

“Due to the unexpected nature of the announcement these new regulations were introduced ad hoc bringing some confusion to both staff and service users – the changes were being updated daily as new issues came to light and different proposals were considered. The nature of this service requires a substantial amount of regulation towards its service users thus an increase in this has an immediate negative effect on morale causing a certain amount of discontent. The further Government announcement on March 23 made the severity of the situation plain to all, and whilst this increased the sense of camaraderie within the service, it brought with it further restrictions to service users and new requirements on staff.

Photo: iStock

One place the lockdown is being profoundly felt is in our prisons, and there too people are working hard at the ‘frontline’.

Photo: iStock

“The working conditions were changing daily with new procedures continually put in place, many of these going against the services’ long standing positions.

“The next major change saw the service co-ordinator and administrator begin to work from home adding workload and pressure to both the service leader and the staff team.

“This coincided with the first suspected case of the virus in a staff member resulting in increased workload throughout the team which had already seen a substantial reduction due to a recent re-tendering of the service.

“These events and the national situation began to increase the anxiety throughout the staff team who began to consider their own frailty as well as that of the service users,” he said. “And it was not long before one, quickly followed by one more service user showed symptoms associated with the virus. The team were now in the position where, despite being already under great strain, they were having to consider the correct and appropriate use of PPE and the time that entails, whilst ensuring two service users were kept in isolation from staff and peers and that all prospect of crosscontamination were at an absolute minimum – not to mention the responsibility of it all. The week beginning March 30 saw one of the service’s Recovery workers placed in the shielded group and furloughed for twelve weeks, and the end of the week one of her colleagues report symptoms. As at early April, the service is operating with one Recovery worker instead of the standard four whilst still providing the therapeutic programme that is required of it in treating individuals with substance misuse issues and all the difficulties and challenges associated with it. This needs to be achieved whilst ensuring the service users are physically and mentally well not to mention content in their living environment in these most extreme and unusual circumstances. Exhausting and it’s only the beginning!”

One place the lockdown is being profoundly felt is in our prisons, and there too people are working hard at the ‘frontline’.

The Rev Jill Clancy is the full-time Chaplain in HMS Barlinnie in Glasgow.

“Prison is always a very interesting place to work and there is never a dull moment nor one day like the other, even more so in these very strange days,” says Jill. “But not all of our prisoners understand what the rest of the world is going through – that we too are in complete lockdown. Going to the gym, to a fellowship group or even just getting out of their cells on a Sunday morning for worship was something that helped ease the boredom that prison life can bring. Not having that is difficult for many but here in Barlinnie they know how to use lock up time well.

“They have cell workouts, press ups, lunges, if they use their initiative they can keep up the good fitness regime that they had already started. Many have valued Life and Work magazine, the War Cry and bible study books to keep their faith alive. Their radio station ‘Barbed Wireless’ even broadcasts a service every Sunday at 10am.” 

But it’s the human connections that Jill feels are incredibly important. 

“Finding new ways of connecting with the prisoners is what we are good at, being around during meal times and their half hour exercise time in the yard, walking round or standing listening to how they feel, always keeping that two metre distance.

“The hardest time is when a prisoner receives the news of a death in the family or a loved one seriously ill and perhaps nearing the end of their life. They are unable, just like the rest of their family and friends, to be near them, to say their final goodbyes, and they know that attending a funeral might be an impossibility. It breaks their hearts and mine.

“I am however so proud of the staff who have changed their working hours to core hours, 12 hours shifts, and the staff who are in the isolation wing, who are perhaps putting their own lives in danger. They are the real heroes and I am proud to be very much part of that big team and to be a recognisable face to those in our care.”

Photo: iStock

The Rev Sheena Orr agrees. She’s the Chaplain at Cornton Vale, Scotland’s women’s prison.

“While I wait for the main prison door to open I read the Covid-19 poster. Once inside I stand behind a black and yellow striped line while a young officer asks if I have any symptoms. ‘No, I am very well,’ I say. He allows me through to the key room.”

That’s the start of a typical day during the Covid-19 era for a prison chaplain.

“Here, it is much quieter than usual as most non-uniformed staff – social work, education, psychology – are either working from home or have been furloughed,” says Sheila.

“In the hall for the more vulnerable, some women are fastidiously cleaning door handles and washing floors. Whereas before I could talk to people in their rooms now I can only talk from the door or in a public space. One woman is frightened because she came in the same van from court as someone who is now in isolation with Covid-19 symptoms. Another because she is being released but is fearful she has no housing and her support worker is not able to meet her at the prison gate.

“When I arrive in the segregation unit I am asked to wear a paper face mask and gloves as I go to hand out the weekly Covid-19 ‘Chaplaincy Chat’, newly introduced with fun items, wellbeing tips and encouragement. The one person we have with symptoms (as yet untested) – is quarantined at the end of the unit. I cannot cross the black and yellow tape on the floor around the door unless I and three officers all kit up in full protective clothing. There is not enough time to do this before mealtime. I need to adjust my timings of when I go to see people in this new regime.

“In the main hall, women are bemoaning the fact that they are being put in single cells – isolation upon isolation.

“I take the memorial book, which normally sits in the chapel, and give it to Sarah who has tragically lost her dad. We talk about him from a distance and she writes her heart in the book. “I really miss the weekly church service” she says.

“And so it was, on Palm Sunday, while I am doing the rounds, a small group of us ended up sitting on the floor, two metres apart, discussing Covid-19, the events of Holy Week and singing ‘Hosanna’. I had to make sure the Easter Eggs were sent 72 hours before Easter Sunday to ensure they were virus free!”

The police have one of the trickiest jobs during this pandemic – both trying to keep people safe and yet part of their job is to get in close contact with members of the public who might be resentful of the present conditions.

Married couple Alex and Samantha O’Collard work in Edinburgh.

“We’ve nearly a decade of experience between us and this is the strangest times we’ve ever known,” they said.

“Our faith and our church has been vital to us throughout our careers.

“As response officers we are tasked with answering 999 calls and complaints from members of the public, and those seeking help often in times of crisis. Used to the day-to-day challenges that occur, The Coronavirus Covid-19 has created a new tense environment for everyone. Hand sanitiser, disinfectant wipes and awkwardly shuffling around people in corridors has become the new normal. Trying to manage social distancing, whilst also working closely together on the scene of a dynamic incident is understandably challenging. Police Scotland has issued us with specialised Personal Protective Equipment, which is welcome and used in situations where the virus is known or suspected to be a factor. The streets are empty and simple pleasures like grabbing coffee on the go are not possible (nor doughnuts). These things together make it seem very surreal to be on duty.

“Policing is of course by public consent in the UK and how we are viewed by the general public is crucial to this. During this time our style of policing has changed, often finding ourselves patrolling the streets in-between calls, ensuring people are adhering to the new regulations. Even the thought for example of having to ask families to keep their children away from their friends in the streets where they live or from gathering in communal play areas is a sad one and an action that no-one takes pleasure in. That is why it is inspiring to see that the majority of people are doing everything they can to ensure everyone is kept safe. The amount of support we have received is overwhelming with people actively encouraging us in the street and thanking us for our efforts. It is a side of society we do not get to see very often and it warms our hearts.

“The challenges that isolation presents have had an enormous impact on the wider community and without the great work of supportive neighbours and people rallying together there would be a far greater decline in some of our most vulnerable persons. Without this support, the job would likely fall to the Police and partner agencies already facing significant challenges. It is that support we are most grateful for, allowing us to concentrate on the everyday tasks associated with our role.

“We are blessed to be able to witness the Lord moving through this nation and there are many occasions where his protection has been over us during dangerous situations. It is not uncommon for one of us to come home at night and state that we have had a rough day but we live in the knowledge that Christ has walked with us throughout it all and will never let us fall.”

This article appears in the June 2020 Issue of Life and Work

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