“It’s important to take every precaution as an essential worker, because you may be an asymptomatic carrier, and we still don’t know everything about the virus itself,” says Jade Flinn, RN, a nurse educator for the biocontainment unit at Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore. “I don’t want the reason my family gets the disease to be because I had an essential job to do.” The definition of essential workers has been open to interpretation and can vary from state to state. Healthcare workers, first responders, food and agriculture employees, and water and sanitation employees are among those included in the 14 essential employee categories listed by the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). Plumbers, electricians, road maintenance workers, and people in the financial industry are considered essential as well. RELATED: The Latest News on the COVID-19 Pandemic Hospitals follow certain precautions and procedures that other workplaces may not, Flinn explains. “There are disinfectant wipes at the bedside of every patient, and I have personal protective equipment and training that helps me whenever I’m entering an environment that has COVID-19,” she says. “When we see patients who have COVID-19, they are in a special environment called a negative air pressure room — the air in the room gets sucked out and does not go back into the hallway,” says Flinn. This setup is designed to contain the virus in the patient’s room. That’s different from the environment of an essential worker who works outside a hospital, like a grocery store stocker, says Flinn. “For example, they’re touching shelves that may not have been disinfected. I know that they often wear gloves, so that can help them, but the safety of the environment is dependent on other people wearing face masks or disinfecting surfaces — it’s a less-controlled environment.” RELATED: Faces of Coronavirus: A Nurse on the Front Lines Tells Her COVID-19 Story
Safety Lessons From a Nurse
As a nurse who cares for COVID-19 patients, Finn is extremely aware of the infection risk she faces. Here she talks about how she stays safe on the job and shares lessons for all kinds of essential workers. Personal protective gear (PPE) Finn wears double exam gloves, an isolation gown (a class 2 medical device full-body gown, which offers the highest level of protection from contamination, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration), and respiratory protection — either an N95 mask with a plastic face shield or a PAPR, which is a powered air-purifying respirator, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). A PAPR has a hood that looks like it belongs to a “moon suit” and is attached to a pack that sits on the waist, Flinn explains. “By using the N95 with a face shield or wearing the PAPR, I am protecting the mucous membranes like my eyes and my nose,” she says. Workers outside of the healthcare industry should also cover their faces with some kind of cloth mask in public places when they’re unable to maintain a safe social distance. “When you put your protective equipment on, such as a mask or bandanna, there should be a mindset change,” says Flinn. “Think, ‘I have this on, I’m entering a setting where I need to be more mindful.’” She adds, “Even people who are wearing a mask are often touching and readjusting their masks — we seem to be always gravitating to touching our face. Try to train yourself to be mindful of what you’re doing with your hands.” Hand hygiene Hand-washing is important because we are often touching surfaces that may have the virus on it, says Flinn. “One scenario is that the virus is on an object, then the object is placed on a surface, the surface is touched, and then the person touches their eyes and becomes infected,” she says. That’s one of the reasons washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds is important, she says. RELATED: 10 Misconceptions About the Coronavirus
Tips for Going to Work if You May Have Been Exposed
To keep essential operations going, workers who may have been exposed to the virus but remain asymptomatic may be permitted to continue work, according to the CDC. The CDC offers guidelines for prior to and during a work shift:
Employers should take employees’ temperature and ask about symptoms before they start work, ideally before the employee enters the building or workspace.The person should wear a mask or cloth face covering at all times at work for two weeks after last exposure.The employee should stay at least six feet away from other people whenever possible.All common areas such as offices, bathrooms, and shared equipment should be disinfected routinely.
Keeping Your Home Virus-Free
“Because our jobs make us go out into the public, we need to have a procedure for when we come home to ensure we are not introducing the virus into our house and exposing our families,” says Flinn. Flinn recommends the following steps:
Put all the items that you wore that day straight into the wash or, if you don’t have a washing machine at home, in a separate bag.Leave your shoes outside.Take a shower before you get close to your family or any pets.Leave backpacks or other items you had with you outside or wash them thoroughly.
Open and clear communication with your family about the plan is important, says Flinn. “For example, my family knows to keep the dogs away, so they won’t jump on me until I’m changed and showered,” she explains. RELATED: 13 Celebrities Diagnosed With COVID-19 and What You Can Learn From Their Experiences
Tips for Overall Well-Being During the Pandemic
Essential workers may feel a lot of responsibility and fear right now, says Maura Lipinski, a licensed social worker and a behavioral health therapist at Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. “Even if they are in total alignment in the mission of helping those who are sick or playing a critical part in providing the necessities that people need to live, they’re still putting their families at risk at home,” she says. If you’re one of these workers, finding ways to take care of yourself and your family can help you stay physically and emotionally strong, says Lipinski. Take a vacation … from the news. Sometimes Flinn turns the television off and tries to ignore negative social media posts to protect her own mental health. “It can be disheartening, and I need to stay mentally positive,” she says. Taking a news “vacation,” where you stop checking into the news cycle all day long can help reduce anxiety, says Lipinski. “Try to limit yourself to looking once or twice a day for updates,” she suggests. Acknowledge your disappointment. “Even in the face of difficulty and tragedy, it’s okay to acknowledge your disappointment around certain things,” says Lipinski. “It’s healthy to express feelings you might be experiencing about not getting days off or missing a trip you planned. Being open about your disappointments can help you move through this better than when you repress it.” Make self-care a priority. Finding time to take care of yourself, whether it’s going for a walk, doing yoga or tai chi, or taking a hot bath, can help you recharge, says Lipinski. “Meditation and breathing exercises are beneficial as well. There are even targeted meditations for people who are trying to manage their anxiety around COVID-19." You can find them with an internet search. Stay connected. Even if it has to be via conference calls, Zoom, or Google Hangouts, maintaining your ties to family and friends can help you stay emotionally strong, says Lipinski. Especially during times of stress, it’s important to invest emotional energy in your key relationships. “Try having a discussion with your partner about positive traits you see in each other,” she suggests. “It may sound silly, but it can help you get through the crisis. Instead of constantly getting feedback about what’s wrong, you’re sharing feedback about what’s right in your world.” Focus on the positive In addition to acknowledging fear or anxiety, talk with your partner, kids, or other household members about all the steps you are taking to stay safe, says Lipinski. “Be supportive of each other. It makes sense that we’re afraid, but make a point to talk to each other about the things you did right today. Choose to focus your energy on that,” she says. RELATED: 12 Virtual Ways to Escape Reality During the Coronavirus Pandemic
