b'Prince Albert (continued from page 21)far beyond the original requirements, and did so without question. It is important to note that all the stainvolved in the centre did so, outside of their regular positions.The entire team was extremelyexible, as everything happening was unprecedented. During theyear ofrst the pandemic, a nursing team, who made home visits for swabbing of those who were housebound early in the pandemic, was established and very e ective.At Christmas of 2021, when the pandemic was in full force and the Omicron variant was rearing its ugly head, the Prince Albert team took the lead in creating self-as-sessment swabbing kits, which were virtually unknown to many. The excellence of the team involved, gave the centre the ability to take the lead on many pilot programsLittle Avery is being comforted by dad Shawn as nurse Tracy Dr. Rebecca Wray assessing results.and initiatives, in the battle against COVID. Brown prepares to test her.The COVID pendulum continues to swing the wrongswabbing from dozens a day to hundreds. Extra stawasbecause of our community. The patients who visit are way, so the assessment centre will continue to operate,needed to manage the people standing in line. thankful and understanding.The group wanted to also to meet the needs of the community. Those who may beThe one element everyone continually reinforced wasacknowledge the surrounding neighbours of the centre, eligible for Paxlovid, the drug approved to treat COVID,how the local team of nurses, reception, administrationfor their tolerance with all the comings and goings in must receive it from a physician. The assessment centreand physicians made all of this possible. their quiet neighbourhood, for the past two and a half provides that service. Many of you may not be aware that most assessmentyears.I asked the group what the biggest challenges were,centres would limit the number of tests per day, based onCurrently, the Prince Albert Assessment centre is still and the answer was simple. The centre, due to the peoplethe stang. The Prince Albert Assessment Centre workedoperating to meet the needs of the residents of Scugog involved, had set very high standards, and the day-to-dayendlessly to test anyone who came in. Volunteers wereand Uxbridge. Our thanks cannot convey the gratitude increases in cases made it challenging to meet those stand- recruited on an ongoing basis, and the positive responseto all those involved, in doing whatever it takes to keep ards. During the Christmas holidays, for example, whenwas overwhelming. us safe.case counts were sharply increasing, the centre increasedThe work performed by all involved is meaningfulBy Jonathan van Bilson, Special to Focus on Scugog22FOCUS - SEPTEMBER 2022'