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| How a Pharmacist on the Front Lines Spends Her Sundays | How a Pharmacist on the Front Lines Spends Her Sundays |
| (3 days later) | |
| Chia Liang is a pharmacist manager at the Walgreens in Jackson Heights, Queens, near one of the neighborhoods hit hardest by the coronavirus. Her Sunday shift there, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., has remained one of the few details of her day that has not changed in recent weeks. Ms. Liang, 31, lives with her husband, Adam, 34, a car mechanic, and Cody, their Maltese, in a two-family home in Elmhurst, Queens, where she grew up. Her parents and younger brother live downstairs. | Chia Liang is a pharmacist manager at the Walgreens in Jackson Heights, Queens, near one of the neighborhoods hit hardest by the coronavirus. Her Sunday shift there, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., has remained one of the few details of her day that has not changed in recent weeks. Ms. Liang, 31, lives with her husband, Adam, 34, a car mechanic, and Cody, their Maltese, in a two-family home in Elmhurst, Queens, where she grew up. Her parents and younger brother live downstairs. |
| ALONE TIME My mother usually wakes me and we have breakfast together, but that’s changed. Now I wake up on my own, make coffee, shower, dress, and walk Cody at 7:30 a.m. It’s time for myself, and the only chance to get some air. I try not to think about anything, and to just clear my mind. | ALONE TIME My mother usually wakes me and we have breakfast together, but that’s changed. Now I wake up on my own, make coffee, shower, dress, and walk Cody at 7:30 a.m. It’s time for myself, and the only chance to get some air. I try not to think about anything, and to just clear my mind. |
| PHONE IN THE CORNER Usually I’d be at the gym before I start my shift, but since that’s closed, I’m on my phone, or I’ll check emails and surf the web. I have a yoga mat I’ve set up, but have yet to be active. I’ll make avocado toast or oatmeal for breakfast, which I eat by myself. We’ve all taken to our own corners. My husband is in the living room and my parents and brother stay in their home underneath us. | PHONE IN THE CORNER Usually I’d be at the gym before I start my shift, but since that’s closed, I’m on my phone, or I’ll check emails and surf the web. I have a yoga mat I’ve set up, but have yet to be active. I’ll make avocado toast or oatmeal for breakfast, which I eat by myself. We’ve all taken to our own corners. My husband is in the living room and my parents and brother stay in their home underneath us. |
| EARLY ARRIVAL It’s a 13-minute walk to work, but I’m lazy, so I’ll drive there and arrive by around 9:15, which is early because we need time to sanitize everything. That’s new. So is the line of people wearing masks that stand outside. That moment is an awakening. It started last week since we can only let in 10 people at a time. We have tape on the floor now in the pharmacy area that’s six feet apart. People like to crowd around the pharmacy so they’re a little frustrated because they haven’t gotten used to it yet. | EARLY ARRIVAL It’s a 13-minute walk to work, but I’m lazy, so I’ll drive there and arrive by around 9:15, which is early because we need time to sanitize everything. That’s new. So is the line of people wearing masks that stand outside. That moment is an awakening. It started last week since we can only let in 10 people at a time. We have tape on the floor now in the pharmacy area that’s six feet apart. People like to crowd around the pharmacy so they’re a little frustrated because they haven’t gotten used to it yet. |
| COMMUNITY I know some dread going in, but I want to be here to help. I started as an intern and have been at this store for 10 years. This is my community. We are more accessible at the moment than doctors. My customers feel like they can rely on me. It’s important for me to be here for them during this critical time. I’m not scared of catching the virus here. Walgreens has provided us with tools and education. | COMMUNITY I know some dread going in, but I want to be here to help. I started as an intern and have been at this store for 10 years. This is my community. We are more accessible at the moment than doctors. My customers feel like they can rely on me. It’s important for me to be here for them during this critical time. I’m not scared of catching the virus here. Walgreens has provided us with tools and education. |
| DEALING WITH CUSTOMER ANXIETY I put on my jacket and roll up the gate. Our hours have always been shorter on Sundays, but with the virus there’s an increase in people and pace. People are very anxious; I can see it in their faces. They are asking for their daily essentials: masks, alcohol, Tylenol, hand sanitizer, they’re worried and frantically looking for items. | DEALING WITH CUSTOMER ANXIETY I put on my jacket and roll up the gate. Our hours have always been shorter on Sundays, but with the virus there’s an increase in people and pace. People are very anxious; I can see it in their faces. They are asking for their daily essentials: masks, alcohol, Tylenol, hand sanitizer, they’re worried and frantically looking for items. |
| I’m seeing newer customers come in on top of our regular ones. Everyone is scared if they have a little cough, or they’re anxious because they have a fever. I can’t be as intimate as I would be in the past, and that’s hard. A lot of customers usually say hello and shake my hand. Now we wave at a distance. | I’m seeing newer customers come in on top of our regular ones. Everyone is scared if they have a little cough, or they’re anxious because they have a fever. I can’t be as intimate as I would be in the past, and that’s hard. A lot of customers usually say hello and shake my hand. Now we wave at a distance. |
| MORE ANTIBIOTICS For the next several hours I’m filling prescriptions, answering the phone, which is ringing more often, taking blood pressure, doing immunizations, giving advice on medicine, and calming customers. A lot of people are picking up their maintenance medications. Because a lot are staying home, we’re filling a three-month supply. We do see antibiotics being dispensed more frequently. | MORE ANTIBIOTICS For the next several hours I’m filling prescriptions, answering the phone, which is ringing more often, taking blood pressure, doing immunizations, giving advice on medicine, and calming customers. A lot of people are picking up their maintenance medications. Because a lot are staying home, we’re filling a three-month supply. We do see antibiotics being dispensed more frequently. |
| Updated August 17, 2020 | |
| I wish I could do more. You can feel people’s appreciation; they thank us for being open, for being here. That motivates me and makes me feel proud. I’m making a difference. This has brought the community together to take care of each other. That’s encouraging. | I wish I could do more. You can feel people’s appreciation; they thank us for being open, for being here. That motivates me and makes me feel proud. I’m making a difference. This has brought the community together to take care of each other. That’s encouraging. |
| WIPE IT DOWN, ROLL IT DOWN At 2 we roll down the gate. I’m not wearing a mask or gloves during the day, but I put on gloves to disinfect everything, which we do with Clorox wipes. I wipe down anything I’ve touched; the counters, phones, keyboard, pin pad. Then I throw out the garbage, get into my car and drive home. | WIPE IT DOWN, ROLL IT DOWN At 2 we roll down the gate. I’m not wearing a mask or gloves during the day, but I put on gloves to disinfect everything, which we do with Clorox wipes. I wipe down anything I’ve touched; the counters, phones, keyboard, pin pad. Then I throw out the garbage, get into my car and drive home. |
| SCREENS The first thing I do when I get home around 2:30ish is wash my hands and change out of my clothing before I touch the dog. My brother has walked him during the day. I go into my room, get on my laptop and spend the rest of the evening shopping online and watching Netflix. I’m following their Top 10 so I’m watching “Outbreak,” which is crazy, among their other picks. I’ve been looking into Peapod delivery for my parents so they don’t have to step out of the house to go to the market. They’re in their 60s and I worry about their health. | SCREENS The first thing I do when I get home around 2:30ish is wash my hands and change out of my clothing before I touch the dog. My brother has walked him during the day. I go into my room, get on my laptop and spend the rest of the evening shopping online and watching Netflix. I’m following their Top 10 so I’m watching “Outbreak,” which is crazy, among their other picks. I’ve been looking into Peapod delivery for my parents so they don’t have to step out of the house to go to the market. They’re in their 60s and I worry about their health. |
| HOARDING JUNK FOOD I’ve been eating a lot of oranges to boost my vitamin C, and drinking hot water with lemon; and I’ve been hoarding Cheetos and chocolate-chip cookies. | HOARDING JUNK FOOD I’ve been eating a lot of oranges to boost my vitamin C, and drinking hot water with lemon; and I’ve been hoarding Cheetos and chocolate-chip cookies. |
| PASTA, ALONE Around 6, I’ll have dinner in my room, which makes me feel isolated and bored. We used to do traditional Asian meals like bowls of rice and dim sum together where we sat around the dining room table. Now it’s pasta with tomato sauce and ground beef or meatballs. It’s quick and easy and lasts a long time. Sometimes we order from Uber Eats, who drop it off in front of your door. Sometimes we FaceTime each other while we eat. | PASTA, ALONE Around 6, I’ll have dinner in my room, which makes me feel isolated and bored. We used to do traditional Asian meals like bowls of rice and dim sum together where we sat around the dining room table. Now it’s pasta with tomato sauce and ground beef or meatballs. It’s quick and easy and lasts a long time. Sometimes we order from Uber Eats, who drop it off in front of your door. Sometimes we FaceTime each other while we eat. |
| THE BEST PLAN My husband, who has been staying in the living room, and I haven’t hugged or kissed in over a week, which is sad. I miss the intimacy but we agree it’s the best plan for now. The whole family is practicing social distancing. I’m already in bed when he comes in and we’ll talk about our day for a few minutes and then we fall asleep. I go to bed early, by 9: mental preparation. I say, “I can do this, it’s going to be OK,” to myself. That calms me down. | THE BEST PLAN My husband, who has been staying in the living room, and I haven’t hugged or kissed in over a week, which is sad. I miss the intimacy but we agree it’s the best plan for now. The whole family is practicing social distancing. I’m already in bed when he comes in and we’ll talk about our day for a few minutes and then we fall asleep. I go to bed early, by 9: mental preparation. I say, “I can do this, it’s going to be OK,” to myself. That calms me down. |