Essential Personnel

   Wisconsin and Minnesota have both issued safe at home legislation this week. This legislation mandates the closing of nonessential businesses and requires all people to stay home and not congregate. Anyone who can work from home should be doing so. People are permitted to leave their homes only to go to medical appoints, purchase food or other needed supplies, care for family members or others and walk outside.  People who work in fields that are determined to be essential critical infrastructure and who cannot work from home are permitted to travel to and from work.
   I was a little nervous when Wisconsin issued this legislation. I work in Wisconsin and live in Minnesota. I worried that I might get stopped at the state line while driving to work. I decided to make a copy of my Wisconsin pharmacist license and put it in my wallet along with my driver's license. This way I could prove what my job is. I also have my work ID with me. This is what I use to clock in and out when I am at work. This way I would have proof that I am employed at a pharmacy in Wisconsin. I'm sure that I was being more than a little paranoid, but I wanted to be prepared just in case.
  It turned out that I had nothing to worry about. I was not stopped. There were a couple people I knew who had been given letters by their managers that designated them essential employees. My manager toyed around with the idea of writing letters for each of us. Then we learned that those who work in critical fields did not need any special documents. I'm still going to carry the copy of my license with me. I feel safer that way.
  A lot of people are talking about health care workers and the risks they are taking, Nurses in particular are at risk. They provide hands on care to those who are sick many times lacking the protective gear needed because it is in short supply. A few people are also talking about pharmacists being at risk as well.
  As strange as this may seem, I'm a bit surprised by this. It is true of course, we deal with the general public. I guess I never really thought about it. There are some things that just go with this job. I have long ago accepted the fact that I could  be exposed to a range of infections diseases. I've never thought of myself of being brave or doing anything special.  I'm simply doing the same job I've been doing for over half my life now.
 The last couple of weeks customers have been expressing appreciation for what I do. One customer brought lunch for the entire staff from a local restaurant. Several customers have thanked me over the phone. One of them was a man whose wife is immunocompromised. He asked if we could bring his prescription out to his car so he wouldn't have to go into the store. This is something we will do if needed. He gave us payment information and said he would call when he was at the door. Fifteen minutes later he called. I had his prescription ready. I walked out the doors near the pharmacy. He had his trunk open. I verified his name and laid in medicine in the trunk. He thanked me and I went back inside. It felt good to do that small service for him.
  This is part of the reason why I like doing what I do. Pharmacists have the ability to do small things like this that mean so much to people. This is the kind of care that people need in times like this. When I hear about how community pharmacies can be replaced by mail order pharmacies and satellite hubs, I worry. Yes, it is possible for people to get their medications  this way and it may be less expensive and more efficient. However pharmacy is much more than just getting a bottle of pills. It's the information and care that goes with it. It's asking how your aged father is doing and making sure you have all the information you need to care for a sick child.
  We are essential personnel in all times, not just during this crisis.