The COVID-19 Pandemic changed the course of life for the American public and the Nation’s medical system. Nowhere was this truer than in the Veteran’s Health Administration (VHA).
VHA is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at 1,293 health care facilities, including 171 VA Medical Centers and 1,112 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics) to over nine million Veterans enrolled in the VA health care program.
From the earliest stages of the pandemic in January 2020, VHA began monitoring the development of COVID-19 and prepared to respond to it if and when it became a national issue. Planning activities quickly ramped up by the end of January and by early February, COVID-19 and related preparations became the foccus of VHA.
In March 2020 as the first wave of the pandemic hit the United States, a VA COVID -19 Response Plan was created and approved. The stated primary purpose of the COVID-19 Response Plan was to “protect Veterans and staff from acquiring COVID-19 by leveraging technology, communications as well as using dedicated staff and space to care for COVID-19 patients.” The COVID-19 Response Plan provided VA medical centers and networks a framework for adapting health care operations.
In April 2020, VHA developed a Moving Forward plan to outline how and when VA facilities would resume services.
In medical centers across the nation, VA staff worked tirelessly and ceaselessly to provide exceptional health care to our nation’s Veterans under extraordinary circumstances. Medical staff innovated to meet the ever-changing challenges of the pandemic and the daily needs and operations of a medical center during the pandemic.
In August 2020, months before the first vaccine was introduced, VHA launched a COVID-19 Vaccine Plan, preparing to vaccinate Veterans and staff. On December 14, 2020, less than three days after the first COVID-19 vaccine received government authorization, a World War II veteran in Massachusetts became the first VA patient in the country to get the shot.
Vaccination efforts continued at VA throughout 2021 while meeting the challenges associated with the COVID-19 variants, Delta and Omicron.
As of April 29, 2022, VHA has diagnosed 325,926 people with COVID-19 and 86,139 patients have been admitted to VA facilities. Approximately 4,228,254 veterans have been vaccinated and 67% of all veterans have been vaccinated.
This exhibit is dedicated to the memory of the 255 VHA employees who lost their lives during the COVID-19 pandemic.
How the collection formed
Many of the artifacts displayed in this exhibit were innovations created by VA staff during the pandemic, some of which are still in use today. To preserve these innovations from across the organization, the VA History Office (VAHO) created a SharePoint site where VA employees could submit their COVID-19 items for consideration. Collecting was not limited to objects, but included devices, materials, ephemera, personal accounts and documents. The site was instrumental in forming the basis of the VAHO COVID-19 collection which is currently stored at the National VA History Center in Dayton, Ohio.
Potential artifacts were evaluated under the following criteria:
- Was the artifact directly used in VA's COVID-19 response?
- Does the artifact already exist in the collection?
- Was the artifact the first of its kind, the first to be used for COVID response, or the first to be used in a new way?
- Is the artifact tied to a VA success or failure in COVID-19 response?
- Is the artifact a prototype used to test a potential resource?
- Is there a unique backstory or additional information available for this object that provides additional context to its role on COVID-19 response?
Items captured by the VA History Office will not only be used to the story of how VA responded to COVID-19, but can be utilized by VA in the future to respond to emerging pandemics.
Evolution of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Masks have served a variety of purposes over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the pandemic progressed, different types of masks emerged to serve similar purposes for various groups of people.
Medical or surgical masks, like the mask on the left, are usually disposable and are intended to protect the wearer from contact with droplets and sprays that may contain germs as well as filter out large particles in the air.
Cloth masks were some of the most commonly used masks during the pandemic due to the ease of access. Cloth masks trap respiratory droplets that are released when the wearer talks, coughs, or sneezes. The more layers cloth masks have, the more effective they are. These masks can be washed and reused.
Face shields are generally made of clear plastic. These types of masks are intended to protect the wearer from inhaling aerosol droplets that may be carrying the virus. However, they are less effective than masks when preventing the wearer from transmitting viral droplets outwards.
A01
When locally faced with a shortage of PPE for nonclinical care and community use, a group of VA nurses set up an assembly line to create masks in house. This mask is made of blue and white Halyard 600 and is arranged in a trifold with white stitching on the interior and exterior. The nose bridge is designed to conform to the face with a small piece of metal.
This mask was worn and donated in 2020 by Tessa Kalman at the Dayton VA Medical Center (VAMC).
A370b
These masks were created by the same group of nurses as the previous mask. When faced with a shortage of PPE for non-clinical use, these nurses set up an assembly line to create them in house.
Donated in 2020 by Tessa Kalman at the Dayton VAMC.
A29
This mask was also developed and made by VA nurses and volunteers. Made of blue and white Halyard fabric in a circular shape with elastic ear holders.
Donated in 2020 by William Sobaskie at the William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital.
A30
This is a standard disposable mask in white that is trifolded with an interior metal nose strip. Matching white elastic ear bands are folded underneath. This mask was secured in a sealable plastic bag by the manufacturer, the Ford Motor Company.
Donated by in 2020 Bill Sobaskie at the William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital.
A31
This artifact is made of blue and white Halyard fabric that was fashioned into two separate surgical hoods. This fabric would then surround the head and a sheet of clear plastic would allow for the surgeon to see the patient.
Donated in 2020 by William Sobaskie at the William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital.
A32
This mask is one in a set of three "Clearmasks" and used to assist in clinical areas like Audiology where hearing impaired Veterans are seen by clinical staff. These masks were made of clear plastic in a rectangular shape with holes in each corner for the earloops. Foam strips at the top and bottom provide cushioning around the mouth and a seal. Secured in a sealable plastic bag, these masks come with instructions detailing how to wear them properly.
Donated in 2020 by Bill Sobaskie at the William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital.
A79
This mask was handmade by VA employee Leah Kegley. She began making masks on April 2020 from her dining room table. Kegley made seventy-five masks in total and donated them to fellow employees at no cost so that they would have at least one mask to wear to work. The very first mask she made was given to her sister and fellow employee, Sarah Costello. This mask is made of a pink paisley fabric with the John Deere logo in the middle. Matching pink hair ties function as earloops. An interior pocket was added for a filter and a metal nose piece was sewn into the top.
Donated in 2020 by Leah Kegley at the VA Illiana Health Care Center.
A237
Reusable fabric masks, like this one, were distributed as an option for VA employees to wear instead of disposable mask. This way, PPE was able to be saved for when it was clinically appropriate. These masks included a "Thank You" card from the executive leadership of the Ralph H Johnson VA Medical Center. All of the masks distributed were printed with "Choose VA- Ralph H Johnson VAMC" on them.
Donated in 2020 by Erin Curran at the Ralph H Johnson VA Medical Center in Charleston.
A298
Operating Room nurses took recycled blue wrap from surgical packs to make masks like this one. These nurses sewed and distributed approximately 500 masks over the course of several months. These masks were made of Halyard fabric with a nose piece sewn in and four ties instead of ear loops.
Donated in 2020 by Carol Hayes at the VA Boston Health Care System.
A348
These masks are homemade using military pattern fabric. These patterns include the Universal Camouflage Pattern (UPC), Navy Working Uniform (NWU), Navy Working Uniform Type II, and US Woodland.
Donated in 2020 by Bill Sobaskie as an additional donation from the William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital.
A357
A blue and black fabric mask that was manufactured for the National Cemetery Administration (NCA). The emblem for the NCA rests in the bottom left corner.
Donated in 2020 by Sara Amy Leach, NCA History Program VA Central Office.
A369
These simple white fabric masks were delivered to the National VA Health Center with a note designating them as First VA Palo Alto Hospital masks for staff.
Donated in 2020 by Kim Englemann at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System.
This plastic face shield was 3D printed during the national mask shortage. It was designed to wrap around the head and is secured using Velcro. Gray foam across the top acts as a cushion for the forehead.
Donated in 2020 by William Sobaskie at the William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital.
This folded up surgical gown was made from a clear plastic bag and tape. Due to dire concerns about the scarcity of PPE, Tessa Kalman created a pattern for surgical gown out of a plastic garbage bag.
Donated in 2020 by Tessa Kalman at the Dayton VAMC.
Plastic face shield with a blue forehead rest for comfort and was secured onto the shield by elastic. It folds into five sections to curve around the face. It then is held onto the face via a ziptie.
Donated in 2020 by Kim Englemann at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System.
This face shield was formed from a rectangular piece of plastic. Attached on the top is a gray piece of foam for the comfort of the wearer. The shield is secured to the wearer with a piece of black elastic that is attached to the shield by staples.
Donated in 2020 by Kim Englemann at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System.
A clear face shield made from plastic. Attached is a blue foam headrest with white elastic to secure it to the head of the wearer.
Donated in 2020 by Tessa Kalman at the Dayton VAMC.
This is a face shield that was 3D printed. The design was based on a design shared on the NIH 3D Print Exchange by Tomothy Prestero of Design that Matters in Redmond, WA. This package contains a set of three with instructions for assembly
Donated in 2020 by Greg Voss at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center.
This surgical mask is another product produced by WARE when supply chains were low. WARE is credited as being single-handedly responsible for creating PPE at time of greatest need for veterans. This mask was 3D printed with colorless plastic sheeting and with a blue vent in the center.
Donated in 2020 by Michael Lain at the Pittsburg Health Care System.
Featured Objects:
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Medical care: Innovating through Adversity
The severity and rapidly changing circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic prompted innovations to medical equipment that was quickly being produced and consumed. The VA has collected numerous artifacts representing the items that became common over the course of the pandemic.
A012
This COVID-19 test kit was developed for use by medical professionals. Exact Science Laboratories (ESL), a medical supply company, reached out to the Madison, Wisconsin VAMC to offer additional COVID-19 testing that was not otherwise accessible due to limited supplies. ESL switched their normal testing from colon cancer to COVID testing due to demand. Their services were initially for local facilities, but production was ramped up to the point that they tested the majority of the COVID-19 tests collected at mass testing events throughout the state of WI. This testing kit contains a nasal swab, a collection tube with saline solution, a blank tube label, an absorbent pad, and collection instructions.
Donated in 2020 by Amanda Lawsome at the William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital.
A127
VHA's Office of Research and Development (ORD) and Innovation Ecosystem (IE) collaborated with the private industry to develop rapid, at home COVID-19 testing. This testing kit included two individually packaged alcohol swabs, two plastic lancets, packaged gauze, a plastic collection tube, two individually wrapped bandages, and a small bottle of "buffer" drained of liquid. Each kit would include instructions and a list of kit contents.
Donated in 2020 by Ernest Tate at the VHA Central Office- VHA Innovation Ecosystem.
A157
Due to the influx of patients in hospitals during COVID-19, wireless service bells were utilized in areas where there were no built-in call bells. These wireless service bells were added to patient bedtables and nursing stations. When pressed, the top of the receiver would light up and emit an auditory cue, alerting the medical staff.
Donated in 2020.
A159
Plexiglass boxes such as this were developed to be placed over patients in need of intubation. One side and the bottom are open to be placed over the patient. Four holes, two on top and one on each side, in the box allow for the patient to be reached.
Donated in 2020.
A326
This intubation shield is made from copper tubing with clear plastic shielding. The clear plastic has two rectangular holes that provide space for the patient to be reached by the healthcare provider. The provider, Clement J. Zablocki Veterans Affairs Medical Center, prototyped this for their organization because they required protection for intubation. This was used in conjunction with an intubation mannequin.
Donated in 2020 by Tina Smith at the Clement J. Zablocki Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
A352
As COVID-19 became more prevalent, infrared forehead thermometers became commonplace. These were utilized as a screening tool for COVID-19. Anyone entering the Dayton VAMC would be subject to having their temperature checked.
Donated in 2020 by Tessa Kalman at the Dayton VAMC.
As the need for testing materials skyrocketed, the Center for Wheelchairs and Robotics Engineering was asked to prepare PPE by the VA. WARE created nasal testing swabs as well as other items until the supply chain was able to catch up with the demand. This nasal swab was 3D printed for use in COVID-19 testing.
Donated in 2020 by Michael Lain at the Pittsburg Health Care System.
This is a touchless keychain and was developed to minimize the touching of public surface. This included door handles, elevator buttons, etc. This touchless keychain was given to Tessa Kalman by Pamela Misler, Chief of Physical Medicine Dayton VAMC and was handed out during early precautions against transmissions.
Donated in 2020 by Tessa Kalman at the Dayton VAMC.
This device was used for ampifying voices. It is a headset designed for use in maintaining social distancing at committal shelters.
Donated in 2020 by Oliver Villalobos at Riverside National Cemetery.
Featured Objects:
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Medical Center Life During COVID
While many innovations aided with COVID-19 directly, many objects were created for life in a COVID-19 environment. These could range from cheering up bleak circumstances in hospitals to thanking healthcare workers for their efforts in an incredibly difficult time.
A73a
At the VA Palo Alto Health Care System, employees were screened for Covid and were given colored wristbands each week. These bands noted that the employees had been screened. Some of these wristbands were collected and linked to form a chain. Kim Englemann, who donated the chain, said that she "wanted to decorate a Christmas tree with the paper chain of arm bands but never did," due to not having a tree.
Donated in 2020 by Kim Englemann at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System.
A07
During COVID-19, mobilized teams of clinical personnel were needed to staff an outpatient COVID-19 evaluation program, known as the Acute Respiratory Clinic (ACR). Work conditions were quite stressful due to uncertainty about the virus and rapidly changing clinic procedures. To thank these volunteers, VA created a clinic logo and handed out washable totes.
Donated in 2020 by Erin Kerbs at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center.
A68
This jar originally functioned as a canning jar with a screw top. It was repurposed into a jar for prayer requests. The jar was placed in the breakroom of a medical floor as a reminder to staff that the chaplaincy services were in prayer for them and everyone else during this time. This jar still contains twenty-seven prayer requests made to the chaplain.
Donated in 2020 by Anthony Lee at the Atlanta VA Medical Center.
A178
Like many other fabric masks, this Aroma Mask was handmade. It includes a small pocket for a circular piece of felt. Essential oils could be added to the felt and then placed in the pocket. The purpose was to provide aromatherapy to improve mood and alleviate anxiety in the wearer. This Aroma Mask has text with the names of various military branches. The packet that it came in contains an instruction book for use and care as well as a small bottle of "Tension Tamer," a blend of peppermint, frankincense, lavender, and chamomile.
Donated in 2020 by Nicholee Froese at the Albany VA Medical Center.
Featured Objects:
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Vaccinating the Nation's Veterans
In December 2020, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first two vaccines for emergency use in the United States. VHA had spent most of 2020 fighting against the spread of the disease. Now, with the arrival of the vaccine, a new mission began. This included distribution, storage, and handling of new vaccines with special temperature requirements. Throughout 2021 VHA conducted mass vaccination of enrolled Veterans and staff.
This box of Moderna COVID-19 vaccines was distributed to Veterans at the Dayton VAMC. It originally contained ten doses of the vaccine.
Donated in 2020 by Tessa Kalman at the Dayon VAMC.
This box of Janssen COVID-19 vaccines was distributed to veterans at the Dayton VAMC. It originally contained 10 doses of the vaccine.
Donated in 2020 by Tessa Kalman at the Dayton VAMC.
This t-shirt was designed and printed by the Hampton VA Medical Center COVID-19 Vaccine clinic. The shirts were originally worn during the initial startup of the COVID-19 clinic. They have also been worn for other facility events such as nursing week.
Donated 2020 by John Rogers.
Featured Objects:
Click for larger images
If you would like to donate an item to this exhibit, please contact the VA History Office at VAHistoryOffice@va.gov
Exhibit developed by Olivia Holly-Johnson, VSFS Intern, with Katie Rories, Veterans Health Administration Historian.
Additional credit to Amy Ackman, VA History Office Intern, Wright State University, Katie Pittman, Special Projects Detail to the VA History Office from VHA, Curtis Yun, VA History Office Intern, Georgetown University