Three years on from the start of the pandemic, I was walking out of my office along a narrow corridor when a patient walking in the opposite direction coughs in my direction, which no attempt to turn away or cover their mouth.
Great, I thought.
The next day, the familiar burn started at the back of my throat and my mind was transported back to that instant; the moment at which I was probably infected.
Three days on, I am feeling very sorry for myself, back at work after a weekend of nursing my cold.
Trying to be sympathetic towards patients coming to see me with coughs and colds.
Besides being ignorant and disrespectful to cough without making any attempt to shield others from a virus-laden aerosol, I worry about the island’s preparedness in the event of another pandemic.
It seems we have learned nothing from our recent experiences and we will still expect the healthcare profession to pick up the pieces when it all goes wrong again.
A doctor
Name and address supplied
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This letter was first published in the Isle of Man Examiner of March 14.