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How is the coronavirus pandemic affecting your life right now? Tell us about your experiences, feelings, and thoughts.

The last time I wrote was in May, and our covid numbers were declining. Today, we have 98 patients with covid, 30 of those are in the ICU. That is one-third of our covid patients. All of our ICU beds (36) are full, so we have ICU patients holding in the emergency department. Most of these patients are unvaccinated. There are a couple who are vaccinated, but they are not in critical care. The hospital has had to set up a tent outside for drive-thru testing because people have been coming to the ER just to get tested. Once again, there is a hold on elective surgeries and the visitation policy has been amended to reduce visitors. The pace at work is relentless. The number of critical drips that we are making and using is staggering. In my almost 32 years of being a pharmacist here, these are the sickest patients that I have ever seen. And this time, we are seeing much younger patients, patients in their 20's and 30's on life support and dying. You would think that with all of this going on in our area that the county commission and the school board would have mask mandates in place, but no, they don't. They want this to keep on spreading, especially to our children. It is more important that people aren't forced to do something instead of doing what is right. You would think that people, in general, would want to step up, do the right thing, get vaccinated, and wear masks. Sadly, as before, they don't. I don't understand that mentality. I would feel horrible if I knew that I had caused someone to get sick or die because of my willful negligence. I wish I could show people what it is like at work, in the hospital, in the ER, in the ICU. Come walk around in my skin and see how you feel after. “Whoever saves a single life is considered by Scripture to have saved the whole world.’ Talmud