DownUnderFlyer

All of us are affected by the current health crisis. From people being sick to not having access to medical services for preexisting issues. So instead of Lounge Meetings, this thread is to connect the members of the Qantas FT community with each other. If you are looking for someone to chat or need a care packet mailed to you. This is the place for it. Of course there also is the general FT Cares forum for a wider audience.

nancypants

Thank you DownUnderFlyer for this. I will start with a personal plea

i am currently managing a remote indigenous clinic in the Northern Territory. We have no cases but are getting absolutely flogged because a) travel bans have prevented many nurses and doctors coming in, b) visiting specialists have been stopped so we are having to manage more complex patients than usual without specialist input, c) most travel out for patients has stopped, so I’m having to keep sicker people in community for longer, d) supply lines are of course always lengthened given our remoteness and e) the bulk of my health staff are in high risk groups so will need to be isolated as soon as we have cases. Our worst case scenario modelling is for a 20% death rate and potential for only 1 nurse and 1 (of 2) police officers to be available for patient care

we usually get a lot of stuff through woolies Bush orders but that has been stopped because of lockdowns. We have run out of anything resembling even “your aircraft has great coffee too” quality coffee, and I tried to put in an order for mail delivery yesterday but found most suppliers won’t post to a private mail bag. Almost had a nervous breakdown as a result

I know a lot of clinics in the territory will be struggling in a similar way and given that this hasn’t really started yet it’s literally only going to get worse

i know there’s an “adopt a healthcare worker” movement in the cities but of course there’s not many locals here to adopt us and those that are have the same supply issues as the rest of us

if anyone would like to mail us a care package (nothing fancy required at all), I will love you forever. In return when all this dies down I can mail you all the hand woven baskets and aboriginal artworks you can desire

thank you in advance

nancy

goosegreen

Nancy, can you post a list of what you need? Happy to help if I can.

nancypants

My single most pressing and ridiculous need at the moment is chewable vitamin c- since we’re still trying to run a child health program and that’s the “treat” the kids get when they have their needles- out of stock at all my suppliers with no back orders being taken (are people panic buying vitamin c?!). Other than that, we found half a jar of ancient moccona while we were cleaning out the police station which qualifies as good coffee around here and will keep us going a little. Other things that could be helpful- we are making care packages for the oldies (I have a fair number of 80+ year olds who are still going strong and we are trying to keep that way)- we have made up bags with a face washer and a set of hotel soaps/toothbrushes etc in each, which exhausted my stock that I bring from flying in and out (now not happening). Could be a good use for excess airline amenity kits if anyone has any hanging around they’ve been looking for a way to get rid of?

can’t think of anything else off the top of my head. I managed to get a stash of Easter eggs in for the staff before woolies stopped doing orders so hopefully we’ll have a reasonable long weekend.

if anyone has any stuff they think might be helpful that they want to get rid of, drop me a line. I’m happy to flick people a bank transfer for postage costs

parsonstrish

Hi Nancy, I just saw your post. Do you still require items?

nancypants

Yes we are really struggling here
the new Centrelink payment has hit so the shop has had panic buying and are struggling. Added to my suppliers for work running out of key items and half of my nurses being out of commission 😖😖😖

are people panic buying vitamin C in town? I can’t get it for love nor money here, from anywhere

Mwenenzi

Sent you 2 x PM's

FlossieFlyer

I am happy to have a look for you at the shops tomorrow. If you would like to send me a PM with the postage details I'll start my own Easter hunt.

I lived in Nhulunbuy for a couple of months so I can imagine the struggle.

Cheers
FF

nancypants

yes even nhulunbuy is pretty well stripped- we have a plane that comes from gove and picks up pathology and the pilot always offers to try bring stuff but comes back 90% of the time to say “not available”

will send a PM

TomVexille

nancypants pm sent

Osmo

For toiletries, have you tried Every Little Bit Helps. They collect/donate toiletry bags https://www.elbh.org.au/

I know they got a big toiletries donation from United the other week.

nancypants

thanks! I will flick them a message (edit: sent)

we now have a domestic violence spike and increase in things like petrol sniffing to add to our woes 😖😖😖

LifeTimeBronze

Unfortunatley, there has been some questionable papers out of China 'reporting' on the use of steroids + Vitamin C; dodgy at best. It won't surprise you to hear that the 'protocol' has made its way into some USA protocols, hence, along with anti-malarials, lots of folk are gorging themselves on Vitamin C
I can send you the references but I suspect you have better things to do with your time.

nancypants

i’m not hugely surprised- we can’t get hold of azithromycin or ivermectin since they’ve been floated as treatments. Both of which we use a lot of (trachoma and strongyloides) and neither of which has a particularly great alternative

pschafer

Hi NP, Have now organised a few friends to compile assistance packages which will be posted over the next week - of course PO closed till Tuesday and not sure how long post takes to arrive in your area. Also some (including myself) need to wait for Woolies home delivery for a few items. (But in our area Woolies home delivery is working very well for those in the "priority" category (seniors, self-isolated, etc)).