A Poem - Keeping COVID out

It is February 2020 and there is talk of a coronavirus
Growing numbers in Asia and Europe
25 cases in Australia
Travellers quarantined
Chief Health Officer alerts and hotlines
Reduce exposure, reduce transmission
We will keep COVID out

It is March 2020 and a pandemic is declared
Emergency meetings, action registers
Lock the front door, develop a pandemic plan
Cooks fill the freezers, agency ceases
Staff leave cancelled, redeploy staff
Plan, prepare, plan, prepare
We will Keep COVID out

It is April 2020 in the year of the pandemic
Flu vaccinate the residents, immunise staff
Renovate the iso rooms, restrict visitors
Test unwell staff, maintain visitor logs
Daily temperatures, outbreak plans
Single workplaces, buy another thermometer!
Sore throat, cough, sore throat, cough
We will keep COVID out

It is May 2020 in the year of the pandemic
Asymptomatic staff testing
Cleaners doing touchpoints
Stocktake after stocktake
Hide the toilet paper, we need more soap!
Staff education, PPE competencies
Don, doff, don, doff
We will keep COVID out

It is June 2020 in the year of the pandemic
The second wave begins
Lifestyle staff making social connections
Letters exchanged, small activity groups
Four square metres, social distance
Facetime, bingo, facetime, bingo
We will keep COVID out

It is July 2020 in the year of the pandemic
Over 700 new daily cases in Victoria
Anxiety levels rise
Lockdown lasts for 7 weeks
Mandatory face masks, some residents joins in!
Temperature scanners and staff declarations
Care staff keep in touch with families
Wash, sanitise, wash, sanitise
We will keep COVID out

It is August 2020 in the year of the pandemic
State of Emergency, outbreaks in aged care
COVID safe plans, test outbreak plans
Mock scenarios with community staff
COVID screens, isolate suspect residents
Wait anxiously for results
Negative, relief, Negative, relief
We will keep COVID out

It is September 2020 in the year of the pandemic
Health department updates
Another email, another change
Outbreaks in Colac and Geelong
The army visits in their blue and green camo
Eye protection and zoning plans
PPE spotting, more audits
Screen, swab, screen, swab
We will keep COVID out

It is October 2020 in the year of the pandemic
Visitor pods, risk assessments
Case numbers are dropping
Roadmaps to COVID normal
PPE stock grows and grows
Masks, gowns, masks, gowns
We will keep COVID out

It is November 2020 in the year of the pandemic
Double zero days, bring in the donuts
Residents venture outside
Visitors are welcomed back
Zero cases, Zero cases!!
We have kept COVID out

It is December 2020 in the year of the pandemic
Prepare for pop-up clinics and fit testing
Test healthy staff monthly
PPE refreshers, 2 square metres
Team effort, team work
That was the year we kept COVID out