Frontline health care workers share perspective and advice One year into the pandemic and despite the hardships and health risks, health care professionals around the globe continue to provide life-saving medicine, care for the most vulnerable, and treat all patients facing COVID-19. In support of the University’s ongoing “Mask Up or Pack Up ” public health campaign, hard-working health care heroes share advice on staying vigilant, and how — from their unique perspectives — everyone can continue to do their part to help protect the Penn State community.
Sheridan Miyamoto, assistant professor, college of nursing and child maltreatment solutions network; principal investigator, SAFE-T Center. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons
Expand “What keeps me hopeful is how resilient people are in the face of this. Seeing how people have supported each other gives me a lot of promise for the future.”
– Sheridan Miyamoto , assistant professor, college of nursing and child maltreatment solutions network; principal investigator, SAFE-T Center
Kate Geier, certified registered nurse practitioner, Mount Nittany Physician Group. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons
Expand “Even if you haven’t personally been affected, when you are on campus, you become part of our community. And the health of our community relies on all of us.”
– Kate Geier , Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner, Mount Nittany Physician Group
Kelly Wolgast, director, Penn State’s COVID-19 Operations Control Center. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons
“Vaccines are great, yet vaccines alone will not end the pandemic. We need to remain vigilant to prevent the virus from rising up again.”
– Kelly Wolgast , director, Penn State’s COVID-19 Operations Control Center
Bonnie St. George, Certified Pharmacy Technician, University Health Services. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons
“For the first month, the adjustment was hard, especially in the pharmacy where we can’t work from home. It was a difficult process, but we overcame it through teamwork. We have to take care of each other and our customers, and we’re going to keep doing that.”
– Bonnie St. George , Certified Pharmacy Technician, University Health Services
Dr. Rebecca Simcik, physician, University Health Services. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons
“Be open and honest with your friends about contacts and activities, be patient, and realize it’s okay to feel a sense of loss and acknowledge it.”
– Dr. Rebecca Simcik , physician, University Health Services
Dr. Michael Kaiserian, assistant chief of emergency medicine, Guthrie Corning Hospital, Corning, New York. Penn State class of 2010. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons
Expand “We all want the world to get back to normal, but we will have to work together to get there. Wearing a mask is the easiest way to protect others,”
– Dr. Michael Kaiserian , assistant chief of emergency medicine, Guthrie Corning Hospital, Corning, New York; Penn State class of 2010.
Last Updated March 25, 2021