Oral history interview with Monica Raymond

Oral history interview with Monica Raymond

Monica Raymond discusses her work as an infection preventionist during the COVID-19 pandemic. She describes preparations in the Infection Prevention Department at the University of Vermont Medical Center prior to the first COVID case in Vermont, including work to obtain PPE and identify rooms where patients could be isolated. However, she indicates that many of their policies and protocols had to be developed in reaction to events already occurring in the hospital. Infection Prevention employees often worked for 12 or 14 hours each day since COVID testing results from the state lab were not available until early evening. As a single woman, she shares that her only social activity was spending time with her horse on Sundays and that this was the only time during her week where she was not thinking about COVID. She attributes the fact that Vermont did not experience a huge surge in COVID cases to the governor's and health commissioner's lead in believing in science and respecting guidance from experts and the CDC as well as to most Vermonters' actions to protect others in their communities.

Monica J. Raymond (MPH, MS, RN, CIC), was a nurse epidemiologist at the University of Vermont Medical Center (UVMMC) in Burlington, Vermont, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sponsored by the Institute of Museum and Library Services MA-251676-OMS-22.

2024-04-18

Collecting COVID-19: A Vermont Story Project

AudioFileCOVID-052

MP3

WAV

Audio file

Permission to publish material from the Collecting COVID-19: A Vermont Story Project may be obtained from the Vermont Historical Society.

Bosek, Marcia Sue DeWolf

Raymond, Monica J.

1 hr., 13 min., 18 sec.

Vermont Historical Society Library, 60 Washington Street, Barre, VT 05641-4215