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COVID-19 Hits Quad City's First Responders

The pandemic has changed the way first responders in the Quad Cities handle emergencies. Travis Noyd, Deputy Chief of EMS for the Moline Fire Department, says his department was advised to maintain distance and put masks on patients, when possible.

"If a patient's able to make it to the door, we ask them (if) maybe they could meet us at the front door or on the porch or something like that. We're trying not to enter into an enclosed environment as much as possible." 

Noyd hasn't seen as many confirmed COVID patients as Linda Frederiksen, Executive Director of MEDIC EMS. In Scott County, their call volume's rate of infection is three times higher than Moline.  

"Now that our states are opening up a little bit more, I know Iowa really opened up in June, we're seeing a definite increase in that," she said. "The days of coming to work when you have a cold are over. So, that's kind of the message that I have today as we're definitely seeing a rise in that." 

Both EMS officials worry about their inventory of masks and gloves. Frederiksen says her department still hasn't received the supplies it ordered back in January, before the pandemic hit the United States.

Marianna Bacallao is WVIK Quad Cities NPR's 2020-2021 Fellowship Host/Reporter. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Mercer University's Center for Collaborative Journalism and served as Editor-in-Chief for the student newspaper, The Cluster.
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