Being a Dentist Can Be Dangerous – Diseases – Part 4 – Pandemic
The Spanish Flu of 1919 was the last pandemic. It came out of a situation of a perfect storm. A virus that no-one in the world had had before. It mutated to a more aggressive form in the hell of the World War I trenches. Then was delivered throughout the world through the mass human movements of troops returning home.
Many people were saying we were due for another pandemic. They have happened throughout history.
Fast forward 100 years.
2019
Another virus no one on the planet has ever had. Transferred from the animal kingdom, bats. Human travel across the planet has never been so easy, from planes, cruise ships, bus and car travel.
Enter Covid 19. In other words, Coronavirus 2019.
Various types of coronaviruses have ravaged the world from their transference from the animal world through close human contact.
The Sars virus of South East Asia came from chickens and would have become a pandemic but it died out along with its human hosts.
Travel restrictions started to be implemented especially from China.
Then in March 2020 the world changed for ever.
You see social distancing and lockdowns and quarantine measures that were used 100 years still apply today.
I flew to the Gold Coast for a week’s holiday in late March, then, after a day and half, got in the hire car and drove back to Sydney almost non-stop. You see Queensland was thinking of locking down the borders. The day we left, restaurants were closed at midday, and I did not want to go into quarantine for 14 days, or worse, not get into NSW. They may even cancel my return flight.
The situation was changing rapidly then. The surgery went to Level 2 restrictions immediately while I was in Queensland, and Dr Eleni, who covered for me while I was away, and the staff had to implement the precautions. They were amazing. Lots of decisions were made by remote control from sunny Queensland too!
Back in Sydney, still on holidays, lots of phone calls to organise to cope with the financial side of a major downturn in turnover. We also had to source protective garments, masks, gloves, hand sanitisers and of course toilet paper, that were becoming scarce and very expensive. Basically, without these basics of dentistry we could not operate. All supplies were becoming difficult to get as other industries were dealing with their own restrictions.
Within three days we went to level 3 restrictions which meant it was getting serious. The way we practiced dentistry changed more dramatically. No aerosols, longer appointments, only urgent cases and social distancing inside and outside of the surgery.
Life changed.
We had to ensure that all staff kept themselves safe from the virus outside of the surgery so they did not jeopardise the surgery itself. It’s a major change in mindset. The virus is indiscriminate. People, even now, with the possibility of a 2nd wave of infections, think they can get away with things by ignoring the protocols.
No one will know, right? Wrong! The virus does not care what you think; it does what it does to survive. It has shown up areas of complacency and outright abuse and punishes the humans by saying “Thanks for that!”.
Unfortunately, vulnerable people suffer and the economy then continues to suffer too. Remember, people who think it’s just a ‘flu, forget that even if you survive, there can be long term damage to the lungs and other complications. Not good!
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Next week
Being a Dentist Can Be Dangerous – Diseases - Part 5 - Covid 19