210323_ful_095-550?v=1

Indispensable Women

Saluting COVID-19 Frontline Heroes

Article by Julie Brown Patton

Photography by Carol Green The Graceful Lens

Originally published in Clayton City Lifestyle

No doubt the word es·sen·tial assumed renewed meaning during 2020. In the broadest terms, that word means "absolutely necessary; extremely important." Given human nature is to feel important to family, friends and neighborhoods, prior to 2020 everyone might've considered themselves 'necessary' to how everyday life manifested. However, as the coronavirus pandemic prompted an unprecedented U.S. shutdown, many people discovered just how essential they were to keeping their immediate communities alive. It was a year of reminders that nothing happens in a vacuum. Missouri guidelines eventually categorized essential employee areas as:  healthcare workers; caregivers; law enforcers; firefighters; first responders; government operators; mental health/social service workers; pharmacy employees; workers supporting groceries, pharmacies and retail sales of food/beverage products; restaurant carryout/quick-serve food operators; food deliverers; farmworkers; electricity/utility industry employees; mechanics, construction workers, electricians, plumbers; medical supply chains; food producers; petroleum/natural/propane gas workers; transportation/logistics workers; communications and information technology employees. Health workers, including nursing assistants, phlebotomists, home health aides, housekeepers, medical assistants and cooks, seemed like a category in themselves. This feature’s intent is to share gratitude to ALL who risked their lives to sustain the rest of us during this long pandemic, especially anyone who's feeling overlooked and deprioritized, even expendable. The following community residents are representative of all essential employees with lived realities about coronavirus survival.

Clayton Mayor Michelle Harris says as the pandemic became an extended reality, many residents contacted her for guidance and requests to advocate for safe practices. "I realized how much any community looks to their elected leaders as an example of what to do, and I take that part of my job a bit more seriously now."

She says she wishes we'd known the importance of focusing on masks much earlier, because it proved to be effective in containing the spread of the virus. However, she says taking steps to ensure city staff and residents were educated and observing health guidelines gave her a sense of ‘doing something’ to combat this pandemic.

"My favorite [pandemic recollection] was to see residents lining streets and shouting gratitude for first responders, police and firefighters, as they drove through neighborhoods. One of the best outcomes was to see more people out walking, exercising and using outdoor spaces for gatherings," says the mayor. "It’s a good feeling to see families out together or neighbors socializing on front lawns."

While a number of local projects were put on hold, Michelle says she's proud of the way the community organized to fight the pandemic. "Clayton is just one of many municipalities in the region, and it was a terrific experience to work with so many talented mayors toward a common cause. Just one example was the Mayors for Meals food drive last year, which we’re repeating this May. About 25 cities came together, with so much food donated, the National Guard had to deliver it."

Cpl. Jenny Schwartz, Clayton Police Department community services/public information officer, says they worked hand-in-hand with city staffers, medical employees and regional first responders to adapt daily operations and call responses to ensure they were limiting exposure while still providing the service level expected.

Jenny says the most significant change for local, community-focused officers was reduced opportunities for organic engagement with each other, residents and business owners. "However, we found new ways to maintain relationships through planning parades, hosting meetings and citizens academy sessions online," she proclaims. 

This past year highlighted the dedication and resiliency of regional first responders, she assures. 

"Our community's support was on full display throughout the past year," Jenny says. "The School District of Clayton opened Wydown Middle School as a temporary substation, including signs of encouragement and treats. Residents continue to overwhelm us with thanks and willingness to help. They’ve stood outside their homes to wave as officers drive past. They’ve donated food and supplies to our officers, and helped with multiple food/school supply drives." 

She believes we're all still mentally, emotionally and physically processing challenges of this past year. "We're in the midst of an historical event and we continue to adapt our responses as appropriate," she adds. 

Teresa Pafford, Clayton city forester, remembers frequently telling friends and family how eerily quiet and calm it was in Clayton those first few weeks during the shutdown.

To cope, Teresa says she kept a daily routine similar to her normal work schedule. "I wanted to be ready for when we were allowed to return to 40-hour work schedules, so I made lists of what I wanted to accomplish. I also had weekly Zoom gatherings with friends, started journaling, and cooked...a lot!" she recalls. 

At the pandemic’s beginning, Teresa says there were definitely moments in which she wondered if her duties and presence at work were really essential or necessary. But she soon noticed the significant increase in people "taking to the outdoors" for reprieve, which made her realize their city services were visible and truly important for residents. 

"I think the pandemic helped me become a better problem solver as well," she adds. "I also really enjoyed seeing all the yard signs and sidewalk art thanking essential workers."

"I wish non-healthcare personnel would've understood that not knowing all the [coronavirus] answers doesn't mean medical professionals and scientists are ignorant or unable to protect us. It just means they have to look at facts and make the most informed choices possible. That's a very heavy burden for health care professionals and scientists to carry," says Tess Main, RN, BSN, SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital Infection Prevention.

Tess says the pandemic made her proud of the hospital, being a nurse, and how department personnel pulled together. "Sometimes it feels surreal to think a virus could shut down the world. And yet, here I am on the other side of it, still thinking of those live we lost and thankful for the vaccine that will save so many lives."

In thinking about quarantining, Dierbergs' Missy Lapinski remembers wishing for a little more isolation. "There was never a time during the pandemic I wasn’t surrounded by people, at least during working hours. When I was home, I just wanted the quiet that others experienced. Being a working mom during a pandemic and virtual learning, I craved quiet time for myself to read or just be."

Missy says she's proud of all of fellow grocery store workers. "This was, perhaps, the most difficult thing our industry as a whole has gone through. We made it through with grace, good humor and dignity."

She says she's also proud of the part she played in history. "It definitely wasn’t an easy time, but I feel like the public has a greater appreciation for those of us in the grocery industry."

Jackie Williams-Olson, Clayton building inspector, says the pandemic prompted virtual inspections and new protocols that actually sped up their overall processes. "Contractors and homeowners were grateful we found new ways and apps to keep projects progressing. It went way more smoothly than we thought it would." 

She says team members quickly shared tips and became more tech savvy. "It's exciting that we set some new inspection standards that we may keep."

Clayton Fire Department Battalion Chief Diann Straatmann says they frequently worried about the number of people who waited too long to call for 911 services out of being apprehensive to seek needed medical care.

She says she's blessed to be an outdoors enthusiast who has property she could still enjoy as a way to cope.

Diann says the department's training for fires, rescues, natural disasters and medical emergencies served them well during the pandemic. "We've dealt with several viruses throughout my career, such as SARS and H1N1 (Swine flu), along with annual influenza season. Even with all the planning, supplies quickly became difficult to find, which was complicated with so much information being unavailable even though coronaviruses have been around for decades."

She encourages others to realize the importance of being prepared, even for minor events, by having two to three weeks of home supplies already secured. 

Katie Bernsen, BSN, RN, SSM Health ICU nurse manager, shares she's in awe at how nursing came together during this pandemic. "It was like a warzone at times. To see the ICU staff move from fear and panic into action, and eventual recovery, has been remarkable. No one truly understands what we've been through except our peers. Just by encouraging each other, letting tears flow and reminders to just be kind--as we all deal with trauma differently--helped us each heal and grow."

She wishes others understood how hard nurses were emotionally impacted by the pandemic. "We've witnessed so much death and pain, nurses are forever changed. We're experiencing an immense amount of fatigue and burnout related to trauma of the past year. Being witness to so much death, as well as providing the emotional and spiritual support to patients when their families couldn’t be here, really took its toll and has lasting effects."

During the pandemic’s peak, like many fellow nurses, Katie neglected self-care and went into survival mode:  work, sleep, repeat. "We quickly realized we weren’t even eating or drinking at work because of the amount of personal protective equipment we were putting on and off. After work, we just collapsed in exhaustion," says the nurse who ended up getting sick with COVID-19 herself, forcing her to take a month off from work.

"It was then I realized how little I'd dealt with the emotions of the events. Once recovered, I made sure I spent time outdoors, exercising and unwinding," she adds. 

Outpouring of support was overwhelming. Katie says, "A group surprised me with a 'love bomb.' I came home from work to a yard full of encouraging signs and balloons. They also collected money to provide my family with dinners so I didn’t have to worry about that after long hours at the hospital. The meals continued for months, and were an incredible testament to the support and appreciation many people had for the work I was doing."

Related Businesses

Related Articles