I’m an owner-operator of a Veterinary Clinic here. I am considered an essential worker, so I’m still going to work every day. But, at the clinic we’re only allowed to do sick animals or chronically ill, injured. Nothing that’s routine. And we’re doing everything curbside off, so clients stay outside the building, we get a history on the phone. Then we go out and get the animal, with the mask on and the people are supposed to be wearing a mask. And then we bring animals into the clinic, do whatever we need to do, and then I talk to them on the phone again, and we take them back out. It’s very inefficient and a little cumbersome. So we’re actually working a fair number of hours, but doing about half the amount of work that we typically do. But it’s getting a little bit easier every week.
I feel like as the owner, it’s my place to to look calm and like everything’s under control and like we’re all going to be fine and try to be the cheerleader, but it was particularly difficult. I wasn’t sleeping very well at night and just getting different headaches at the beginning but it’s hard to stay in crisis mode for a long time. So as each week has gone by and this is starting to feel a little more, the phrase is “The new normal”. We’re getting more comfortable with it.
I’m almost to the point now where I think even if the governor were to say things can open back up again, I would be reluctant to do that. I think we’ll probably let other people try that first and then stay with the curbside telemedicine and sick things only, for a little bit longer and just see how it goes.