Page 10 - RADC 2020

LCpl Keicher, Maj Beaven and Cpl Limbu stand proud infront of their COVID preventing reception screen – which only took 8 months to install!
Level 2 PPE with no fallow times from the beginning of August and continue to do so as Brunei is at the equivalent of UK COVID Alert Level 1-2. So, at the time of writing, we have been very fortunate and probably one of the few DPHC Dental Centres who are currently seeing routine patients for the full spectrum of dentistry.
GERMANY
Dental Centre Sennelager has seen many changes in 2020.
British Forces
Germany is no more!
Vast amounts of
personnel, equipment
and infrastructure
have been reduced to
small pockets around
the country. Its epicentre has now migrated to Sennelager and we have welcomed
the new slim lined all singing British Army Germany.
The pandemic saw exercising troops sent back to the UK whilst the Garrison prepared for the incoming 1st wave of COVID-19. The Dental Team assisted their medical counterparts by volunteering to be ‘IPC Police’ in the makeshift tented COVID centres. Even though this offered a varied routine to our days, we were fortunate that such measures were never needed due to the low transmission rate in Germany.
Local units were encouraged to work from home and life on the Garrison took an unfamiliar quiet turn.
Interestingly, local civilian Dental Centres have had minimal impact on their working practice due to the robust access to
enhanced PPE. Resumption to work seems comparable to the UK however the dreaded fit test for their FFP masks does not seem to be compulsory. Who knows who is right in that scenario, however, it will be interesting to compare the two approaches post COVID-19.
Germany has been held in high regard for its management of the pandemic. It has been able to perform large volumes
of tests which aid
the track and trace methodology. There have been flash points of increased cases, such as in meat factories and illegal raves, however, authorities acted swiftly and introduced local lockdown
measures without delay.
Hospitals have not been overrun and
there is a feeling of pragmatic calmness. The wearing of face masks has had little resistance across Germany except for Berlin which has seen a number of anti-COVID measure marches. Local supermarkets have installed sanitising stations for trolleys and pubs/restaurants have taken full advantage of outside dining in the sun.
In March, Lt Col Murphy bid his farewells to Deutschland to embrace the civilian world in North Wales. As the last RSDO of Germany we wish him all the best in the next chapter of his life and thank him for his loyal service to the Corp. Even after hanging up his uniform, Lt Col Murphy is still keen
to contribute to the KPI’s and can be found hard at work in RAF Valley.
Maj Beaven took his position as SDO and
conveniently arrived as Germany closed
its borders. The pandemic has had its challenges; none more so than negotiating with Belfield hospital staff to let him in for the birth of his daughter. Mum and baby are doing well; Major Beaven is still in shock...
On resumption to some form of normality, we were greeted with the great news that Cpl Limbu had been promoted to Sergeant. He will be leaving us after the Christmas stand down to take up his position as PM
of DC Larkhill. We wish him all the best for the future and thank him for all his hard work over the last 12 months.
Further good news, LCpl Keicher has been successful in her application to transfer to the AGC. As a hard-working Dental Nurse, she will be sorely missed from the RADC. Her phase 2 enrolment has yet to be announced, however, we are sure she will have a flourishing career in HR. Good luck LCpl Keicher!
BELGIUM
How COVID-19 affected
SHAPE DC in Belgium
In January and February 2020, many considered the coronavirus a joke. Two months later, the COVID problem became very serious and just as was the case globally, Belgium implemented a national lockdown in response to COVID-19 on the 17th of March 2020.
The lockdown had many significant effects on our dental operations. The SHAPE Dental Team operates from within a multinational NATO healthcare facility where every nation had its own sets of rules and guidelines.
The Belgian Dental Team were the first to go into lockdown, followed by the American, German and Canadian teams. As the spread
8 RADC BULLETIN 2020
Germany has been held in high regard for its management of the pandemic
COVID