Table 3.

Mutual vulnerability and clinical estrangement.

Participant	Indicative quote
Patient, M, >70, head and neck cancer, United States	In fact, both doctors were telling me, “[X], you need a colonoscopy. I looked at them and said, “You're kidding me, I'm not going to a hospital right now.” There's no way to get me into a hospital. I have been in public places, nursing homes, as late as April and know a lot of medical professionals in our community and the head nurse of a 400-bed nursing home, who I've known for 20 years and knows me well- we see each other at least once a month. So she saw me in the building and she said, “[X], get out of here. I know your medical history. We have had too many deaths, you don't need to be in this building.”
Patient, F 51–70, breast cancer, United States (b)	She said to me, when I told her I had my list [of medications] ready for her, “I don't want that.” But patients are constantly told to bring a list of current meds to every appointment. Her demeanor upset me so much; I forgot everything she said to me during the appointment as far as my treatment. When I returned home, afterwards, I started sobbing… Possibly, she was afraid of contact. I had my list printed on a sheet of paper to hand to her. If she had said, “I don't want to hold that paper in my hand because of possible contact,” I would have understood that.
Patient, F 50–70, rectal cancer, United States	And like I said I don't know that the pandemic plays into that because, you know, they probably don't want to be too close to people, but at the same time, they still need a little bit more.
Patient, F 50–70, bladder cancer, United States	I think communication is a little more difficult with your face covered up with the mask. It's hard for- sometimes we have to ask people to repeat things because it's affected hearing and speech […] I do get it. It just seems more cold.
Husband, M >70, neuroendocrine cancer, Australia	I suppose one of the things that happens is that each time we go to the hospital you get temperature tested and sanitized and whatever… But it's a little bit scary, in a way, because, I mean, normally when you walk into a hospital environment these days there's usually a nice, open, airy space with heaps of people walking around, and suddenly you've got all these people in gowns and masks and asking you all these questions and taking your temperature when you're not expecting anything sort of thing. It's a change in perception or a change in what's happening.
Patient, F 50–70, lung cancer, Australia (d)	There's a crowded waiting room and I stood outside for a couple of hours in the car park because I just didn't feel safe to go in there. And so I think I've become extremely risk averse and I'm probably socially physically isolating as much as I can.
Patient, F 50–70, neuroendocrine cancer, Australia	I was actually quite horrified when I walked into the waiting room there, that everyone was not distanced. The chairs were still in the waiting room exactly as they always are, in a big circle around the walls. The only concession was a bottle of hand sanitizer by the sign-on touch pad, where you enter your name when you come in, to do your hands. And you just sat where you always did. So I had to look for a little spot that wasn't near everyone. And everyone coming in was doing the same, looking for somewhere not next to everybody else to try and keep distancing going. They had some little circles on the floor to stand where the receptionist is, and they'd put up some Perspex screens. And I thought it was very inadequate really.
Patient, F >70, breast cancer, United States	The people that did the radiology component. They were really good. They didn't hold back. They weren't like “don't come close.” I mean like none of that, I didn't experience any of that. In fact, they were running a program for students who were learning, who were placed by the university, it was there…you know when they come and…it was their practical. They were wonderful. They didn't stand back. They weren't afraid. They weren't worried. It was amazing. It was amazing.