COVID Chronicle

Bangor Community Health Leadership Board The Community Health Leadership Board (CHLB) is a community partnership between Bangor region hospitals, healthcare providers, human service organizations, educational institutions, and the City of Bangor. For the last six years, the CHLB has worked together regularly to assure the health and wellbeing of our community is cared for. From the very beginning, during the unprecedented challenge of COVID-19, Bangor area institutions have been responding to this crisis together. This partnership has forged stronger relationships, initiated unprecedented levels of collaboration, and a shared sense of community. Trust in one another’s expertise and commitment has been proven week after week during planning sessions and implementation of shared objectives:

• Community COVID-19 test site at Bass Park (led by Northern Light Health). This tent site continues to be staffed by caregivers from the three Bangor health agencies with security provided by the Bangor Police Department. • Plan for a surge site, and PPE use and distribution. • Response to the needs of vulnerable populations including the elderly and transient/ homeless populations. • Plan for provision of food, housing, and transportation for those impacted by COVID-19; as well as childcare for essential workers. • Website and social media campaign to ensure community members don’t ignore or delay essential health care: https://chlb.me/ and https://www.facebook.com/CHLBMaine/

• Approach to slowly and thoughtfully returning to normal health care operations, including elective procedures, diagnostic testing and check-ups. • Resource for primary care providers to address increased youth mental health concerns during times of isolation and stress. • Set of measures to ensure the safety of staff, visitors and community members by encouraging them to wear face coverings (masks), practice hand hygiene, and follow social distancing protocols. The CHLB’s Mask Up for ME campaign will launch in late May. • Site selection, planning and operational design for a 100-bed field hospital at the Cross Insurance Center (which to date has not been needed). Maine National Guard, Maine Emergency Management Agency, and the Army Corp of Engineers assisted with planning and offered staffing assistance should become necessary.

The Community Health Leadership Board (CHLB) is grateful to all healthcare workers for their tireless commitment to serve patients, and for all of Maine’s workforce who are serving on the front lines every day. The trials we are facing have brought us closer together and forged even stronger bonds that will continue as we move forward. We also want to thank you, the residents of central and eastern Maine, for showing your commitment to one another by following suggested protocols and watching out for one another.

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