COVID-19 Challenges for Gift of Hearing

This coming November would have marked the 28th year for Bob Jensen to organize and participate in the Gift of Hearing Mission in Guaymas, Sonora, Mexico.  A special meeting was held on Zoom today to discuss the 2020 mission.  In attendance were Bob Jensen, Erica Williams, Wendell Jones, Ray Smith, Allan and Polly Cady, Jim Schmidt, Chuck Flint and Jeanie Morgan from Mesa West Rotary.  Also in attendance were Rodolfo Fernandez and Dr. Glattke, local Rotary partners in Mexico.  

 

Bob started the meeting explaining that typically by this point in time, all the major plans for the November mission are in place.  This year, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, he has done nothing.  There are too many uncertainties about safety for the school, for the volunteers, and the patients to be seen.

Our Mexican partners are currently quarantined in Alamo where they have had one reported case.  The border area is where the highest rates of infection are occurring..  The 2019-20 school year is being completed from home in Mexico.  Next September the school may reopen, but conditions may not be known until mid to late September as to how, whether or even if we could conduct the clinic there.  At best, we would be on stand-by as to whether we could have the event in November.  

 

Border crossings are currently restricted.  Americans can go down.  Zero Mexicans are going north through the checkpoints.  In Alamos, Americans are carrying proof of residence in Mexico, a water bill, etc., which makes crossing the border pretty automatic.  

 

Bob commented that if there is no vaccine available, he cannot envision taking a team down there.  For him, the safety of the volunteers and patients is paramount.  Another question is - would the volunteers be welcome to stay at the condos.

 

Jim Schmidt's opinion is that there are too many complications making November insurmountable.  Spring of 2021 would be a better option.

 

Bob said that if we don't go down, there are likely enough batteries on hand to serve the needs of existing patients, and the local team could likely have enough volunteers to make that happen.

 

Bob said there was only one other time in 28 years when the mission had to be abandoned for one year.

 

Wendell suggested we skip November 2020 and target November 2021.  Erica suggested that if things improve a small team could try a different model, going for more days and changing to an appointment-based service model with some triage to determine needs in advance, but if that is not possible, she agreed we should wait until November 2021.

 

Bob shared that Adam Prawzinsky felt like they had a horrendous number of patients last year, and he thought limits should be imposed.  He also thought pre-screening should occur.  There were several patients seen that did not truly have ENT needs.  He does not want to see non-ENT patients.

 

Bob was pleased he had spent extra money last year, so that there is an inventory of hearing aids on hand.

 

There is a nursing school in the area that has indicated a desire to help.  If we do choose to involve them, the identification of specific tasks for them to do needs to take place.

 

Bob wrapped up the meeting with the following areas where he felt there was consensus: