Patrick Baum: HIV/AIDS in a Time of COVID-19
“So…just what are my chances of survival here?”
When the pandemic hit, Patrick Baum had only been working at Harbor Care a few months.
That's what many living with HIV/AIDS were asking themselves in early 2020, when it became apparent that COVID-19 had achieved community spread and was poised to sweep the nation. For those living with HIV/AIDS -- many of whom having maintained their health for decades by managing the disease through anti-viral medications-- the advent of COVID-19 seemed like the end of the road. While Americans with pre-existing conditions were warned that they would be especially susceptible to catching, carrying, transmitting, becoming sick from, and dying from this new virus, those with HIV/AIDS were basically told to update their wills. In a pandemic in which those with relatively minor health conditions such as hypertension, obesity, and even pregnancy carried increased risk of death, how could someone whose immune system is damaged expect to survive?
When the pandemic hit, Patrick Baum had only been working at Harbor Care a few months. He had been hired by our HIV/AIDS Services team to coordinate peer support groups, because their clients needed a place where they could get together and share their experiences. As soon as Patrick came on board, the group formed quickly. Members soon were looking forward to the chance each week to chat and socialize while sharing refreshments. Patrick prepared the room and provided the soft drinks and snacks, but the group members chose among themselves what they wanted to discuss at each meeting. Many conversations were serious, involving issues such as how to discuss HIV status with partners and family members. Loneliness and isolation came up often, as did economic woes, work concerns, and relationship issues. As the peer support group grew in popularity and expanded, plans for several specialized groups began to form, such as a women’s group, a men’s group, an LGBTQ+ group, and a group for Spanish speakers.
Then COVID-19 hit the Northeast, and hit it hard. During the spring of 2020, New York City was the epicenter of the outbreak in the United States, and the effects spread quickly into New England. On March 13th, Governor Chris Sununu declared a state of emergency in New Hampshire. Harbor Care hurriedly moved to ensure that clients who could do so stayed safely at home while health center staff set up new procedures for telemedicine. Seemingly in an instant all in-person meetings were cancelled; then the word went out that the HIV/AIDS peer support group would be virtual, via Zoom.
After breaking the ice with a few rounds of Jeopardy, the members felt relaxed enough to talk freely about the ups and downs of their daily life.
The HIV/AIDS group’s Zoom meetings were about as popular as they were with any other group during the pandemic…
which means not so popular. The closeness and camaraderie felt at the in-person meetings suffered, and chatting over shared snacks was no longer possible. Oftentimes, technology got in the way; one regular member of the peer support group – who never missed a meeting in-person – was unable to join due to technology challenges.
Luckily, Patrick found resources to encourage more active participation. He tracked down a number of games the group could play together on Zoom. After breaking the ice with a few rounds of Jeopardy, the members felt relaxed enough to talk freely about the ups and downs of their daily life.
The pandemic gave them new issues to confront together. Many peer support group clients rely on their medications arriving via the U.S. Postal Service. During 2020, however, the USPS experienced a slowdown that created life-threatening problems for clients on viral-suppressors. Patrick and other Harbor Care staff were able to step in and manage this situation, ensuring that their clients received the medications they depend on without interruption.
Medications were not the only source of problems. Many clients were not able to visit Harbor Care’s food pantry because of infection risk. To guarantee his clients wouldn't go hungry, Patrick distributed grocery gift certificates so his clients could restock their kitchens. Like many others in our community, many peer support clients were underemployed or unemployed due to COVID-19 closures, and were simply running out of money. Gift cards from Harbor Care helped ease the financial strain until businesses began to reopen.
The outdoor peer support area is ready for today’s meeting!
This was a troubling time, but as the weeks and months passed, the peer support folks received great news to share.
Data began to emerge suggesting that COVID-19 may be no more deadly to those with virally-suppressed HIV/AIDS than it is to the general population. Eventually, lowering COVID virus positivity rates in Nashua -- coupled with the lifting of the state of emergency in New Hampshire on June 12, 2021 -- encouraged the peer support group to begin meeting again in person. Just to be on the safe side, they are meeting outside, enjoying the warm weather and each other’s company. The new groups for women, men, LGBTQ+, and Spanish speakers, originally slated for last year, will be forming soon. Everyone is enthusiastic about this development.
As of early July 2021, things are looking up for the peer support group folks. No one is saying life has returned to normal. “There’s really no such thing as ‘normal,’ right? Human beings are always dealing with some issue,” Patrick says. “You never know what will be wreaking havoc in someone’s life on any given day...but for now -- for us -- it’s not COVID. We weathered that together.”
The HIV/AIDS peer support group participants just take every day as it comes, knowing Patrick is there...always being there to support clients while empowering them to take care of themselves and each other. If you’d like to know more about HIV/AIDS services at Harbor Care, please call 603-882-3616 or visit our HIV/AIDS Services page.
Confidential consultations are available at 603-595-8464.