Georgina Ferry interviews Elizabeth Greenhall, retired GP, 11 March 2022.
Topics discussed include (00:00:35) EG's early interest in medicine, training in Oxford and London, public health training and running of Oxfordshire's Family Planning Service and later retirement; (00:02:37) first awareness of COVID-19 and early conversations with David Mant relating to setting up the University's COVID-19 Early Alert Service for testing and contact tracing; (00:05:10) Results Liaison Team of volunteers; (00:07:30) protocols and guidance developed for contacting students with test results; (00:11:40) care provided for students who had tested positive and anxieties relating to isolation and loneliness; (00:13:40) comparison of contact tracing through E.A.S. with the National Test and Trace Service; (00:17:20) changes to the role, including having the Single Point of Contact at the colleges contact students; (00:21:05) staff infections and use of the E.A.S., resulting health and safety reporting; (00:22:00) postgraduate reporting and issues; (00:23:30) decision to use the telephone as the best method to contact individuals; (00:24:35) work of the Single Point of Contact at each college, including delineation of households within colleges, assistance to students including those with underlying medical conditions; (00:27:17) advice from practicing doctors and infectious disease experts, including David Mant, Chris Conlon and Susanna Dunachie; (00:29:03) collaboration in response to the pandemic, within the wider university and between colleges; (00:33:05) evolution and adaptation of the service into 2021, movement of students during vacation periods; (00:37:00) easing of regulations and halting of the E.A.S. PCR testing; (00:38:05) emergence of omicron variant in December 2021; (00:40:10) events and parties after reopening and easing of regulations, including end of term parties, University's response to changing Government guidelines; (00:43:13) difficulties in dealing with the University from a public health perspective, including the speed of the decision-making process in an emergency; (00:46:20) lessons to be learnt; (00:47:09) EG's personal reaction to the pandemic and positive experience of working on the E.A.S. (00:51:08) make-up of the E.A.S. (00:52:45) positive lessons learnt; (00:54:18) future plans.
