Page 5 - Ft. Irwin High Desert Warrior, April 2020

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High Desert Warrior 5 April 2020
Community
COVID-19: Fort Irwin community lends helping hand Story by Janell J. Lewis Ford
NTC/Fort Irwin Garrison Public Affairs
FORT IRWIN, Calif. — Health officials report that the first, confirmed case of the novel coronavirus/COVID-19 was on Jan. 20, 2020 in Washington state. Once that announcement was made public, people across the U.S. began to show their concern at the grocery stores.
America’s residents flocked to grocery department store chains, standing in long lines and stocking up on cleaning supplies (sanitizers, wipes, etc.) and toilet paper, rice/noodles and other essentials.
In the NTC/Fort Irwin community, the frustration was clear.
On March 12, Sammy Betts posted to the “Fort Irwin Con- nection” Facebook group page, saying “To all of you buying baby wipes ‘cause there is no more toilet paper—please don’t. Leave it for the families that actually have babies.”
Ashlee Steffeck Wiegan responded saying “Or how about we just go back to buying what we need and not hoarding stuff.” In true Fort Irwin fashion though, the community came
together to help out each other.
A post by De La Garza Fam said, “Getting worried about
not being able to get water, wipes or formula,” and Meagan Coleman quickly offered resources to someone in need.
“I have a Pur water container, you just need a filter, happy to give it to ya.”
Jamie Marie Delorio also reached out, saying, “I have a Britta water pitcher and an extra filter. Let me know if you need it and you’re more than welcome.”
Melissa White made a post to try to bring clarity to the over-shopping situation.
“Just a reminder, even the CDC said to have 30 days of necessities on hand, which means, unless you have a medical problem, no one goes through 240 rolls of toilet paper in 30 days...no one needs 5 liters of hand sanitizer...you do not need
12 bottles of Lysol for 30 days.”
To take it a step further, a social media post was made on
March 14, emulating a “I Need/I Have” outreach, similar to ones posted by the community on Thanksgiving and Christmas Days, when the commissary is closed and last-minute items are needed for holiday meals.
“If you have a specific amount of an item you need, please post it,” Darcy Jones shared in the Fort Irwin Connection Facebook page. “If you have the item and can spare it, please respond to the poster.”
Courtesy photo
The post sparked more than 80 comments and 130 likes, as the community pulled together to support one another.
There were also social media posts of community members going off post as far away as Las Vegas and Ontario to get items for themselves and for others.
Two more actions that sparked the shopping frenzy was the World Health Organization (WHO)’s declaration of a public health emergency of international concern on Jan. 30, and President Trump’s Jan. 31 ban on foreign nationals from enter- ing the U.S. if they had been in China within two weeks prior.
MEDDAC Minute
WACH COVID-19 Implementation initiatives and interventions
Weed Army Community Hospital (WACH) has imple-
mented the following initiatives in support of limiting the
spread of COVID-19. WACH has established a 24 hours
Nurse Staffed Hotline to answer questions and concerns
related to COVID-19. All personnel entering WACH,
Javier Villaneuva Troop Medical Clinic (JVTMC), Mary
Walker, Embedded Behavioral Health and Shuttleworth
Dental Clinic are screened in accordance with CDC rec-
ommended guidelines and have their temperature taken
at all designed entry points. Social distancing is adhered
throughout the hospital. WACH has maintained trans-
parency with the FICA community through its organiza-
tional Facebook, internal and external web portals, post
marquees and weekly radio updates with the Garrison and NTC Command Teams. We continuously monitor inventory of Personnel Protective Equipment (PPE) such as (gloves, mask, and gowns etc.)
WACH has stood-up a COVID-19 Quick Response Force (QRF) Team. Prevented
Medicine Team has been phenomenal with ensuring that we follow CDC guidelines as we face this COVOID-19 pandemic.
If you suspect that you have been exposed to someone known to have COVID-19 or have recently traveled out of country call 760-383-5304 to speak with a healthcare professional for further guidance.
For more information go to home.army.mil/irwin