Table 3 Profession: themes and sample quotes

3.1 Changing practices

I was part a group of physicians from different specialties who volunteered to cover the newly established COVID-19 call center to handle calls from patients, families, other physicians and healthcare staff working in remote areas. This was a brand new experience for all this group, most of whom had never handled this type of patient before but now had to deal with a flood of calls, to make quick decisions, to handle cases as best we could while working in crisis mode. (UAE)

And it has become more evident than ever to me that, the precious moments that you get to spend in a patient's room, they mean more than ever before. I know that we're supposed to be in the room of a COVID-positive patient as little as possible. And we're totally geared up, we have our masks, face shields, and gowns –and our patients can't really see our faces. But, it's hopefully through our eyes and the inflection of our voice that we are bringing hope and encouragement and trying to get these patients home as quickly as possible, as safely as possible. (Redeployed psychiatric nurse, USA)

I called a family from far away, abroad. Mom and the adolescent girl came to the camera, and the grandparents also sat down in front of the computer to "see" the psychiatric visit—forget confidentiality and HIPAA violations: this is war. Probably they had nothing better to do that to see a live child psychiatric evaluation unfolding, no Netflix required. (Uruguay)

3.2 Outreach efforts

After the lifting of the lockdown I went out to distribute facemasks to traders at the market. The majority of them are uneducated and untrusting; they don’t see the need to buy or use facemasks. Most are of the opinion that since the government is enforcing it, they should have given  out the facemasks freely to all citizens. (Nigeria)

3.3 Guild pride—and guilt

Despite a medical condition placing her at risk, [the nurse] didn’t bat an eye as she told me "I am here. This is my work. This is what I do. I will take extra and additional precautions in doing what I do, but I need to be here for the kids and it's a privilege to serve." And I sit in awe. In awe of what everybody is doing this day. I have fallen yet again back in love with medicine, with child psychiatry and with the wonderful, selfless people I get to work with each day. (USA)

The stress we absorbed is starting to surface only now. The disconnect was difficult for me when hearing from some people how lockdown had been "a holiday". I found this tough to reconcile with my experiences of families struggling with intergenerational mental illness, substance abuse, violence, food insecurity, loss of work, loss of a future. The stark reminders of the ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots’ in our little corner of the world. (New Zealand)