Island health-care students volunteer for those on pandemic front lines

Students of various health fields are volunteering to make the lives of workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic easier.

The project began a few weeks ago when the Dalhousie Medical Society reached out to Kitty Yin, theUPEI Nursing Society president, hoping to expand the national initiative of health-care students helping health-care workers.

"It was really important to me that as the future health-care professionals of our province, and of Canada, that we do everything that we can as students ... to provide our current health-care professionals with the support they need and to show that we appreciate how and understand how challenging it is for them right now" said Yin, who is a graduatingfourth-year nursing student.

Yin said they currently have 15 volunteers, a combination of UPEI nursing students and medical students from Dalhousie and Memorial University of Newfoundland who are back onP.E.I.

"So students are able to sign up as volunteers to help the health-care providers with possibly child care, it could be grocery shopping, pharmacy runs, checking in on their vulnerable relatives or elderly parents or possibly pet care," she said.

"We make sure that the student volunteers have their up-to-date immunizations as well as CPR and first-aid training and their criminal record checks."

Yin said the program has received a great response from the professionals.

"They're very very grateful and I think they feel very supported that they have students who are willing to step up and are thinking of them and willing to do something to help them during this difficult time," she said.

"I feel very grateful,and very happy to be in a province where there's such a strong sense of community."

Yin said any interested health-care students can sign up by emailing peistudentsforhcps@gmail.com and the co-ordinators will take care of the pairings.

COVID-19: What you need to know

What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

Common symptoms include:

• Fever.
• Cough.
• Tiredness.

But more serious symptoms can develop, including difficulty breathing and pneumonia, which can lead to death.

Health Canada has built aself-assessment tool.

What should I do if I feel sick?

Isolate yourself and call 811. Do not visit an emergency room or urgent care centre to get tested. A health professional at 811 will give you advice and instructions.

How can I protect myself?

• Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
• Clean regularly touched surfaces regularly.
• Practisephysical distancing.

More detailed information on the outbreak is available on thefederal government's website.

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