In the World With COVID-19: A Busy, Safe, and Meaningful Life: Part II

Written by Mary Miller, MD, global citizen and friend of the Nuvance Health / University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine Global Health Program

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During the fall I registered voters, helped felons restore their voting rights, reminded many to vote, and told people where they could vote early, safely, and without waiting in line. I sat in a Black barber shop, socially distanced with a mask, and talked about the relevance of each person’s vote. Some Black men expressed fear of going to the polls. I volunteered at the polls on November 3rd, outside, with a mask. All was peaceful.

In the World With COVID-19: A Busy, Safe, and Meaningful Life: Part I

Written by Mary Miller, MD, global citizen and friend of the Nuvance Health / University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine Global Health Program

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COVID-19 is a global pandemic infecting millions and killing hundreds of thousands. Many people can choose protective measures to stay safe, but those at high risk may not be as fortunate.

In the World With COVID-19: A Clearer Lens: Part II

Written by Dylan Ochoa, Coordinator of the Nuvance Health / University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine Global Health Program

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The successful products of billion-dollar corporations, whose job is to keep us entertained, have led us to an unhealthy dependence on distractions. How do we cope when all our former recreational activities are no longer accessible? This is a question that I - and likely many others in the U.S. in particular - have repeatedly asked myself during this pandemic. What kind of lives do we lead without our usual leisurely distractions? We are left to ask what in our lives is meaningful and productive. I empathize with those who are feeling empty without external stimulants to draw their attention.

In the World With COVID-19: A Clearer Lens: Part I

Written by Dylan Ochoa, Coordinator of the Nuvance Health / University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine Global Health Program

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Before the COVID-19 pandemic, many Americans embodied a culture of distraction. We always had a party to attend, a new movie to see, or a sporting event to watch. There was always something to do, people to visit, and places to go. We lived in a culture that emphasized a short-term reward system. We worked five days a week and then spoiled ourselves by indulging in some of these pleasures.

In the World With COVID-19: The Path from Heartache to Compassion

Written by Mahsheed Khajavi, MD, Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine at Florida State University

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I recently read the NEJM perspective piece titled “Reentry” by Dr. Reiter. I read it once and then found that I returned to it daily for several more days. It touches the same rawness many of us feel deeply but often try to avoid.

In the World With COVID-19: The Hibernation Period

Written by Susan Nassaka Byekwaso, MBA, Coordinator of International Programs and Director of the Nuvance Health / University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine Global Health Program at the Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Uganda

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When I first heard about COVID-19, I never imagined that the disease would affect everyone and even lead to closure of higher institutions of learning. I imagined that just like previous viral diseases like Ebola, COVID-19 would be contained and managed in a short period of time. I assured everyone that Uganda would use its experience in managing hemorrhagic fevers to control this pandemic. I continued coordinating clinical placements for students who were already in Uganda with the objective of undertaking clinical rotations as part of their global health rotations.

In the World With COVID-19: Our Duty to Serve

Written by Joseph Kalanzi, MD, Chief Resident Emergency Medicine at Makerere University College of Health Sciences

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If there is one thing the COVID-19 pandemic has taught me, it is that it is our duty to serve. Being faced with the possibility of contracting this deadly disease while in the line of duty in the Emergency Department was a painful reality I had not braced myself to handle. The usual muscle aches and mild flu from a long shift leave me debating whether I have finally come down with the virus.

In the World With COVID-19: Ten Months Now

Written by Saida Agliullina, MD, Nuvance Health / University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine Global Health Scholars Program Alumnus from Kazan State Medical University, Russia

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For ten months now, the new coronavirus infection (COVID-19) has been with us in our daily lives. I'm not as fearful as I was six months ago, but sometimes feel scared when it comes to the passing of people I know. I'm especially sad when young people die. Unfortunately, this is the reality we live in. Scientists everywhere are working to create a safe, effective treatment and vaccine as the whole world lives in expectation and hope.

In the World With COVID-19: Faces in the Pandemic

Written by Stephen Scholand, MD, Founder of Rabies Free World and Nuvance Health Global Health Program Site Director in Arizona, Thailand, and Vietnam

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I pull on the door, a thin frame of aluminum layered with heavy-duty plastic. The whirring becomes louder as the door unstuck. A network of Mylar ducts snake forth on the floor, running to different rooms in the COVID-19 ward. Controlling the airflow is essential to preventing infection, given the unseen but ever-present dangers of the virus. A breach in protocol could cause havoc in the hospital.

In the World With COVID-19: My Life at the Time of Covid-19

Dr. Shalote Chipamaunga-Bamu, Senior Lecturer, Department of Health Professions Education, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at the University of Zimbabwe

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I left Zimbabwe on February 28, 2020 and landed in the USA on the 29th on university duty leave to attend a health professions education post-graduate fellowship. COVID-19 infection had been labelled an epidemic then, before it became clearly pandemic and many activities and events were affected. I was in the country for two days when the news of the fellowship cancellation came through. Devastating as this news was, it was unavoidable. Although I had taken some days leave before and after the fellowship to visit with family, I was subsequently on lockdown in Maryland, USA.