Tough times never last. But tough people do. - Robert Schuller THOMPSON VILLAGER Friday, April 17, 2020 Serving Thompson since 2005 Complimentary to homes by request Adapting to life under COVID-19 BY KAREN BUTERA proper area. If they have symp- CONTRIBUTING WRITER toms of the Corona Virus, they are required to put on a mask PUTNAM — We have all and ushered into a room in had new lifestyles to adapt the ER with negative pressure to due to the Corona Virus where clinical tests are done Pandemic. Everyday life as on them.” we have known it has changed If they are there for another drastically. Local businesses reason, then they are treated in have furloughed employees, the regular part of the ER. or others are now working “We have been preparing for from home. Working parents additional beds in additional have now become teachers and negative pressure rooms,” said teachers have had to devel- Adiletta. op tech skills that they never A negative pressure room John D. Ryan — Courtesy needed before. Grocery stores takes air out to contain the are having a hard time keep- spread of the disease. Putnam’s Scouts BSA Troop 21 and Cub Scout Pack 21 joined forces recently with Cargill Council ing their shelves stocked, and “We have been very fortu- 64, Knights of Columbus, to collect donations of money and non-perishable food for the Putnam-based many cannot find their favor- nate to see a low number of non-profit Daily Bread Food Pantry, which serves local, needy people. Knights and Scouts completed food ite products. That elusive toilet Covid 19 patients and have collections shortly before Connecticut’s “Stay Safe, Stay Home” advisories went into effect in mid-March. paper is still in short supply. swabbed over 400 people in the After getting a few late monetary donations, drive organizers just finished the count, with $2,512 in cash Day Kimball Hospital has community,” he added. “Only and 2,407 pounds of non-perishable food collected. In addition to collections at three area churches and also had to make changes by 27 were positive. Most can be the Putnam Town Hall, Scouts and adult leaders are shown here at the combined March 14 community developing better access into sent home with mild symp- collection event at the Cargill Council K of C Hall on Providence Street in Putnam. the hospital. toms. We will take care our According to Joseph community members as we Adiletta, Interim President of always have.” the hospital, “As things rapidly One of the other things that Putnam Knights, Scouts collect change, we have tightened up seem to be a problem in all of a little more. As people enter this is the insufficient amount through the ER entrance we of PPE- Personal Protective have a safety officer asking Equipment for the hospital. A cash and food for local needy them what they are coming in call has gone out for donations for, and are then guided to the Turn To ADAPTING page A7 PUTNAM — In the midst of the Coronavirus Kathi Peterson said they are very grateful. pandemic, a recently-completed food drive “Thank God for this food drive,” she said. is helping the non-profit Daily Bread Food “Thank God for what the Scouts and the Pantry to get through the unusually large Knights of Columbus have done.” need for help they are experiencing. The local, non-profit, non-denominational Day Kimball Scouts BSA Troop 21, Cub Scout Pack 21 food pantry is operated by Interfaith Human and Cargill Council 64, Knights of Columbus, Services of Putnam, providing local needy joined together to collect more than $2,500 people with food and financial help to pay and well over a ton of food for local needy peo- for necessities like electricity and heating Hospital establishes ple. Knights and Scouts completed food collec- oil. Peterson said that based solely on need, tions shortly before Connecticut’s “Stay Safe, prior to the virus outbreak Daily Bread was Stay Home” advisories went into effect in helping an average of about 500 to 550 people mid-March. After getting a few late monetary every month, sometimes more, from Putnam, triage tent donations, drive organizers just finished the Pomfret, Woodstock and Eastford. Economic count, with $2,512 in cash and 2,407 pounds of conditions over the last few weeks, however, non-perishable food collected. have increased that number. PUTNAM — Day Kimball on the screening results people Daily Bread Program Coordinator Ann Healthcare (DKH) is taking may be directed to go home to Turn To FOOD DRIVE page A7 extra precautions to provide monitor their symptoms in iso- the safest environment pos- lation or they may be directed sible and protect its patients, to the triage tent for further staff and visitors due to the evaluation by a healthcare pro- escalating coronavirus disease fessional. COVID-19 pandemic. “This is not set up to be a drive To prepare for a possible up testing location,” said John A NOTE TO READERS surge in patients seeking Graham, MD, Chief Medical assessments for the novel coro- Officer and Vice President of This week’s edition of the to continue supporting the this situation easier for those navirus, Day Kimball Hospital Quality and Medical Affairs, paper might seem a bit small- local businesses that adver- most affected by it. Let us has established a triage and Day Kimball Healthcare. “The er than you are accustomed tise in your newspaper. They know if there is someone in assessment tent outside the tent has been established to, but rest assured, this is have always been here for your community who you emergency department ambu- specifically for Emergency only temporary. Due to the you through good times and think should be recognized lance bay. Considered an exten- Department patients who unique circumstances we are bad, and now, more than by e-mailing news@stone- sion of the emergency room, meet the screening criteria to all living under at the present ever, they need you to be bridgepress.news. the temperature-controlled be more thoroughly evaluat- time, local sporting events there for them in any way Above all, know that we tent is designed to assemble ed. Only patients that require and community activities you can. have been your trusted triage personnel and medical treatment after their screening have wisely been canceled Amid this temporary source for local news for gen- equipment in an attempt to iso- will be brought into the hospi- as we all try to stay closer absence of local events and erations, and we plan to be late potential COVID-19 cases. tal from the triage tent.” to home and practice social municipal meetings, we are here for you to generations to Individuals coming to the distancing. also looking to celebrate the come, in print and online at Emergency Department will be The Emergency Department As we ride out this tempo- many quiet heroes in our www.stonebridgepress.com. greeted by a team member who at Day Kimball Hospital in rary interruption of life as communities who have gone will ask them a series of ques- Putnam is available around usual together, we urge you above and beyond to make tions about their health. Based Turn To TRIAGE page A7 Eastern makes, donates masks in COVID-19 relief effort WILLIMANTIC Safety has donated 1,200 sur- the CCE. “We are encour- — Looking for ways to help gical masks to the Windham aging anyone with a sew- during the unprecedented Emergency Management ing machine to help make COVID-19 pandemic, a team office, which will be dis- masks that can be donated of volunteer “seamstresses” tributed to various agencies to nursing homes, senior liv- from Eastern Connecticut across town. ing centers and other sites State University has collabo- While hospitals and other where masks are in very rated to produce face masks healthcare providers face short supply.” for organizations on the shortages of personal pro- The CCE made its first frontlines of the health care tection equipment (PPE), major delivery of 54 masks emergency. The relief effort other essential staff such this week to the Seabury is being coordinated by as grocery store clerks and retirement community in the Center for Community senior living center staff Bloomfield. Engagement (CCE), which also say they lack sufficient “We received an incred- has a team of 26 volunteers protections, and have been ible act of goodwill and sewing cloth masks during seeking masks to use. generosity today from this time of quarantines and “We all are worried about Eastern Connecticut State social distancing. the drastic increase in coro- University,” wrote Seabury Separate from the home- navirus infections and if staff on its Facebook page made mask production you are like me, you wonder on April 6. “As our own res- project, Eastern’s Office of what we can do to help,” Environmental Health and said Kim Silcox, director of Turn To MASKS page A7 A2 • Friday, April 17, 2020 VILLAGER NEWSPAPERS Due to COVID-19 the Killingly Historical and Genealogical Center will be closed until further notice. I hope that all of you and of School street, which has in competition with the trol- this topic for the next column. your families are healthy and developed rapidly during the ley for room to maneuver in From North Grosvenordale. are finding positive pastimes past few years.” I wonder if downtown Danielson. I had “Al Lundstrum of North during this COVID-19 Stay at I can figure out which ones KILLIngLY to chuckle at the following: Grosvenordale, one of the best Home period.