Managing in the time of a pandemic presents challenges like none we have seen before. Some states, like Arizona where I live, thought the worst had passed. As rates of COVID-19 increase, state officials are grappling with shutting businesses again. Just as many of us thought the country was inching toward normal; we are being stopped in our tracks, reassessing our actions, and possibly stepping back. Every decision we make today is made under a cloud of uncertainty, as we try to guess what state the country will be in months from now.
The decision to cancel VHMA’s 2020 in-person Annual Meeting & Conference and switch to an online platform, was a difficult one. Many of you, like me, are disappointed not to be meeting with friends and colleagues to reconnect, share, and refine our professional skills. The hallmark of VHMA---the supportive and close-knit community that cherishes the opportunity to meet face-to-face---will still find much to value in this re-imagined virtual event. VHMA members are adaptable, flexible, and eager to learn. While the platform will change, the quality of the information, speakers and virtual sessions will not. A big thank you to the VHMA staff and the Board for quickly and expertly shifting gears and transforming the meeting into a virtual event.
Although we will not be face-to-face, we will be safe, and the virtual meeting will feature the high-caliber content and speakers and progressive education for which the association is known. Also included will be virtual networking and interactive events. The conference will be different, but informative and designed to unite participants. I thank you for your support and hope that you will participate.
For more information VHMA 2020 Virtual Annual Meeting and Conference.
Next steps
Many of us are feeling frustrated, anxious, exhausted and angry because the country is in a holding pattern or restrictions are tightening as rates rise. Without an imminent cure or vaccine, it is clear that we need to manage our expectations for the future, confer with our colleagues and others in the industry about strategies for handling this reality, remain open minded about our responses, take care of our mental health, and be alert to changes in mental health among family, friends, and colleagues.
Information about how practices are dealing with COVID-19 issues related to the practice can be found on the VHMA website. Also available is information about support and mental health services.
Finally, we can all learn a lesson from protocols that were implemented in New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey, states that were successful in getting the viral transmission rate down. Please wear a mask, social distance, avoid crowds, and wash hands. Wearing a mask is not a political issue, it is a lifesaving public health practice.
As I write this, the national COVID-19 death toll now tops 140,000. The warnings are dire. If the pandemic stays on its current course, experts estimate in five months, the U.S. death toll will reach 800,000. There is no cure, a vaccine is months or years away, we must rely on following the advice of medical professionals to gain control over the spread of COVID-19 so that we can start to return to normal.
Stay well and safe,
Michelle Gonzales-Bryant, CVPM
VHMA President