Life in Vermont is opening up slightly. The Governor’s most recent press conferences have included announcements that some businesses can reopen with physical distancing protocols in place and that childcare programs and summer camps can begin planning for what reopening looks like.
What does this mean for Lund? We don’t know most of the answer to this yet. To prepare, we have formed as COVID-19 Response Team consisting of one staff representative from each of our programs or departments. This team will go through each question, situation, and update as it arises and make a plan for the safest and most efficient way to make decisions and changes.
Much of this involves looking at the lessons we have learned already from this time period. We have had successful protocols in place at the residential program some of which can be transferred to the Hoehl Family Building or to our remote/colocated programs. We are working on analyzing our employees and their work areas to see what order people will be able to return to the building when the state approves more people to be present at offices or inside spaces. We also have expanded our Telehealth capacity and ability to sign documents remotely.
There are also larger questions to consider – what does this mean for the agency overall going forward? How can we better use our physical spaces knowing what we do now about remote working capacity? What plans can we lay in place for a possible resurgence of coronavirus in the near or distant future?
We are moving very slowly and cautiously with any changes to our programs or the procedures that we currently have in place. Keeping our clients, their families, and our staff members safe and healthy is the absolute top priority. There are also still many questions about the transmission of the virus, ongoing effects on population health, and indeed the virus itself that are unanswered. Everyone in Vermont, however, is in this same situation. We are grateful for our collaborative relationship with the Vermont Department of Health and the nurse practitioner who we have on call for COVID-19 specific advice and consultation.
We know that life will be different after COVID-19. There might not even be a defined end to this situation. What we do know however is that Lund staff are flexible, dedicated, and optimistic. We will manage what needs to happen on whatever timeline it happens because Lund’s work with children, parents, and families is too important to let anything get in the way.
