When the unthinkable happens, it’s always smart to have a plan of action.
Keene State College senior and public health major Josh Moore took on an internship with The Greater Monadnock Medical Reserves Corps [GMMRC] last summer. Through his internship, Moore has been dedicating his time to assisting the GMMRC Public Health/Emergency Preparedness Coordinator Olivia Watson. “Josh working with us is amazing; we are so lucky to have such a determined intern full of such amazing ideas,” Watson said.
Through his work, Moore had been attending meetings with local businesses regarding their emergency response plans. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit New Hampshire, the emergency preparedness team was ready to respond. “I have updated various documents regarding public health response in this region, a lot of documents regarding infectious disease outbreaks such as COVID-19,” said Moore.
Additionally, Moore has been working to track the spread of the virus. “I’ve been connecting with all 33 surrounding towns within the Greater Monadnock Networks and updating key points of contact for the COVID-19 outbreak. This included dozens of emails and or phone calls. Communication here is key,” Moore said.
With so much misinformation regarding the virus, it’s important to listen to what health care professionals are saying. Moore has been updating the organization’s Facebook page to keep the community informed with factual information. “I control the Facebook page. I have been updating the Keene area on COVID-19 developments. I also recruit and post various emergency preparedness articles and facts,” Moore said.
Although the coronavirus has had a significant impact on Moore’s internship, he said he is still able to do his work remotely from home. “I feel like I could be doing a lot more. I plan to do and learn as much as I can this summer,” Moore said.
Prior to the pandemic outbreak, Moore said he was developing other programs to bring to the community and KSC. On Thursday, March 26, GMMRC was going to put on a presentation in the student center called Opioids, Narcan & Addition in the Monadnock Region. Moore helped develop this event to hold a discussion about how the opioid epidemic is hitting close to home. The program was to feature presentations by the Keene Police Department, Monadnock Community Hospital and McLean Hospital at Naukeag. “Unfortunately though, the event was canceled for obvious reasons,” Moore said referring to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Interning with a public health/emergency preparedness program during a pandemic can provide you with a unique experience. When asked what he was going to take away from his internship, Moore said, “Everything. Connecting and communicating with people in the field is essential; you need to be self-motivated as well.”
As for after graduation plans, Moore is looking for a full-time job as well as researching graduate schools. “I am looking into a Masters in Public Health Policy at either the University of New Hampshire or UMASS- Amherst,” Moore said.
“He is a huge asset to our team. I am excited to see where life takes him after graduation; he is going to be an amazing addition to the workforce,” Watson said.
Erin McNemar can be contacted at
emcnemar@kscequinox.com
