Soma Tech’s Response to COVID-19

March 30, 2020
Soma Tech's Response to COVID-19

How is Covid-19 Affecting Our Community?

People all around the country are feeling the effects of the coronavirus on their communities. The government and CDC have recommended social distancing and self-isolating, so here in Connecticut, all schools and universities are shut down, there are no longer any social gatherings, and museums, airports, malls, bowling alleys, movie theaters, and stores are all closed. Globally, Italy is still on full lockdown where only one person at a time per household is allowed to leave, and then only to go to the grocery store or pharmacy. Anxiety is high as many people are concerned that the United States may soon face a similar situation to that of Italy. In spite of that, the country’s essential workers are hard at work trying to calm a global pandemic so we can all return to everyday life as soon as possible. Click to read more about how Soma is maintaining our integrity as a manufacturer of refurbished medical equipment, current updates on the ventilator shortage, tips to reduce societal angst and anxiety, as well as our thanks for all the healthcare and essential employees who are doing what they can to help us all get through this.

How Soma has Maintained Integrity

Firstly, Soma Tech remains committed to our goal of supplying quality medical equipment to medical facilities worldwide. We have been actively supplying ventilators, patient monitors, and infusion pumps to help combat the coronavirus pandemic. As a result, our staff has been working around the clock, seven days a week, to ensure that necessary medical equipment is speedily delivered to facilities on the front line of the pandemic. For the past month, we have been working to address our customers’ shortages and are proud that our ISO-certified 13845: 2016 facility has the capacity to meet this increased demand.

As part of our refurbishing process, all of our products are brought back to the original equipment manufacturer’s specifications so that they function as they did when they originally came off the manufacturing line. Each unit undergoes a detailed refurbishment process that includes calibration, replacement of parts, cleaning, painting, cosmetics, and final testing.

 

A message from our Sales Director, Ashish Dhammam:

“Since the beginning of this month, Soma has been working seven days a week from 6 AM to 9 PM or longer to supply life-saving equipment to healthcare facilities around the nation. Our technical, logistics, and warehouse workers are doing their best to help with order processing. As, and when possible, even salespeople, IT, and accounting staff have pitched in and helped with logistics and warehouse work. This is the time of need for our customers and we will continue to do everything we can to help serve the healthcare community.

All of us are overworked but our efforts pale compared to the selfless healthcare workers who are on the front of treating COVID-19 patients every day. We are all in this together and there will be light at the end of the tunnel.”

 

The Ventilator Shortage

Italy recently announced that their ventilator shortage is a massive problem and that people aged 60 and over will be refused a ventilator in the hospital. The ventilator shortage has also expanded to America as Governor Cuomo has announced that New York State needed 30,000 ventilators but only had about 11,000 available for the entire state. Soma has done what we can to help address this shortage and has already shipped our stock of ventilators to hospitals and government agencies around the country.

In addition to the ventilator shortage, there is a very real possibility that coronavirus will infect more people than there are hospital beds. With this in mind, it may be a wise idea for facilities to purchase beds, infusion pumps, and patient monitors next. Some companies have tried to remedy the problem of reduced medical equipment by turning cruise ships into floating hospitals while the National Guard has been called into action to help distribute supplies and contain the virus. Likewise, the federal government has initiated bills worth trillions in spending to help those affected by the crisis.

 

Tips to Reduce Your Anxiety

We know that the future is uncertain and that even the stock market has dropped significantly due to uncertainty and fear. In addition to financial uncertainties, there is also the very real threat that this disease can infect you or someone you know. With that in mind here are a few ideas to help reduce your anxiety:

  • Practice all of the CDC guidelines of hand washing, social isolation, and quarantine
  • Practice breathing exercises: Count down from ten
  • Make certain to get a full night’s rest
  • Eat well
  • Avoid alcohol and cigarettes
  • Try to get a semblance of physical exercise each day
  • Return to a hobby such as painting, drawing, baking, woodworking, reading
  • Practice self-care
  • Make time to call your family and friends
  • Try to schedule time with your therapist, or if that is not possible, try to have a phone or video chat session with them

 

A Special Thank You to Medical Professionals

Soma Tech Intl would like to take this time to thank all of those who are medical professionals and those in the healthcare industry. We know firsthand the amount of dedication that comes with the pursuit of a healthcare career. Doctors, nurses, physician’s assistants, medical assistants, and hospital administration are all putting their lives at risk of exposure to coronavirus and we want to acknowledge the sacrifice and selflessness that they exhibit.

In addition to medical professionals, we would like to thank those essential workers who work tirelessly to keep our society running to the best of their capabilities. We would like to extend our thank you to the police officers, bank workers, public works, firefighters, postal workers, and everyone else who is continuing to keep our society afloat.

 

Surrounding Communities Taking Action

We have noticed that this is a time that communities are coming together, in spirit if not in person. There are many town groups on Facebook where people are posting strategies to those who are now homeschooling their children, and people sewing PPE masks for healthcare workers. The small business community is also doing its part: there have been so many posts of restaurants donating food to healthcare workers and construction and chemicals companies that are donating their N95 masks and eye protection to hospitals.

 

Final Thoughts

What do you think about all of the information that is being dispersed about coronavirus? Are you taking protective measures by social distancing and quarantining yourself if you have symptoms? If you are a healthcare worker, how do you feel about this pandemic? Have you done anything to help your community? Is there another topic about coronavirus that you would like us to write about? Comment below.

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