News Photo by Julie Riddle A display of old medicine bottles evokes medical crises of the past as pharmacist Tom Gajewski consults with a pharmacy technician at McLean Pharmacy in Rogers City on Friday.

ROGERS CITY — Closing his lobby doors to customers was nerve-wracking at first, pharmacist Tom Gajewski said.

Forced to keep the public he serves away to keep the coronavirus at bay, the provider of medicines in Rogers City, like many other pharmacists in the area, found a new way to keep helping customers and providing the prescriptions — and comfort — his clients expect from him.

With the pharmacy’s small store off-limits, customers stay in their cars along the curb, where a staff member trots out to collect payment and deliver medications. Insurance companies have been helpful, Gajewski said, allowing pharmacists to waive certain signatures and provide multiple months’ refills to minimize contact with customers.

There hasn’t been any trouble ordering needed medications, Gajewski said, but certain basics — like hand sanitizer and thermometers — are another story.

“Most of the time, I’ve been striking out” during his daily pursuit to order thermometers, the pharmacist said.

News Photo by Julie Riddle Pharmacist Tom Gajewski marks prescriptions for a customer at McLean’s Pharmacy in Rogers City, one of the essential businesses remaining open during the coronavirus crisis.

Daily wipedowns in the pharmacy — though customers aren’t coming inside — and thorough cleaning of the totes of medication delivered daily help the staff feel secure about coming to work, and the atmosphere is more relaxed than when the customers are coming in, Gajewski said.

“We’re not in our Sunday best,” he grinned beneath his mask, a flannel shirt replacing his usual crisp medical look.

He’s always gotten calls from his customers, asking what he thinks they should do about rashes and runny noses and other medical mini-crises. Never hesitant to direct their questions to a doctor when he doesn’t know the answer, the pharmacist finds himself pointing them to their physician more now than ever.

If you need a doctor, he tells them, technology makes that possible, even without leaving your home. He urges them to use their computer or phone to get medical advice, something he did for his own son last week when he needed a prescription for an antibiotic.

The community has been enduringly supportive, Gajewski said.

News Photo by Julie Riddle A McLean Pharmacy technician makes a curbside delivery to a customer in Rogers City Friday.

In the first days of curbside service, when the weather was snowing and blowing and frigid air was sweeping off Lake Huron into the pharmacy’s front window, the waiting customers were deeply appreciative that the business had remained open and continued to meet their needs.

People have brought him and his staffers lunch and baked them cookies and sent thank-you notes in the mail, said Gajewski, who feels lucky to be able to stay open for his community.

“They’re very appreciative, and we’re appreciative of that,” Gajewski said.

Julie Riddle can be reached at 989-358-5693, jriddle@thealpenanews.com or on Twitter @jriddleX.