We used to think that the Covid-19 virus was transmitted only by droplets in the air (and, less commonly, on surfaces we touch).
Droplets — a term with a very specific meaning in nursing, and clear protocols we must follow in caring for patients who require droplet precautions — can travel up to six feet before falling out of the air and ceasing to pose a threat.
Today I received on-line training to become a volunteer nurse screener of guests in a couple of shelters (one for women, one for men) in Madison, WI.
The screening process, too, is conducted on-line. Folks wishing admission to these shelters (Porchlight and Salvation Army) must first stop and talk with me or one of the other volunteer RNs via an Internet-connected tablet. We screen them for Covid symptoms, make sure they're wearing their mask correctly, and if necessary, triage them to a hotel (funded by Dane County, WI) or to a nearby ED.
