Workers Respond to COVID-19 Precautions

Currently in the United States, and around the world, COVID-19, or Coronavirus, is at the forefront of most people’s minds. There have been several restrictions and regulations implemented by federal, state, and local governments in order to attempt to limit and reduce the spread of this virus. Businesses have also begun to think of ways to prevent their employees from possibly getting sick including creating policies for their employees to work from home.

Although some businesses have the ability to allow their employees to work from home, some businesses such as fast food establishments, grocery stores, and retail stores cannot. Those workers are unable to do their work from home, thus possibly leaving them without a job for the duration of time that their place of work is closed. However, those more public places in which most people work, are taking their own precautions to protect their employees and the people who come in to those establishments in order to remain open as long as possible.

“In order to protect ourselves and others from the virus, we have updated our cleaning procedures and how we handle everything from the food to the drink fountains and the bathrooms and how we clean everything overall,” Alex Nichols, an employee at Camelback Corner stated.

All of these more public places are doing what they can to ease the fear that some people may have when it comes to shopping or eating in those establishments. The employees in those establishments are disinfecting surfaces that most people touch and have been taking extra precautions personally to protect themselves and others around them.

“At our work stations and throughout the store we have hand sanitizer that I and the other employees use frequently. For me, using hand sanitizer and washing my hands is something that is always in the back of my mind but more so now in order to protect myself and to help protect others from getting sick,” said Keith Boyd, an employee at Ace Hardware.

Although people are taking precaution to help contain and possibly prevent the spread of COVID-19, there are still some much-expected hesitations and fears from the employees of public establishments and the general public.

“It is kind of nerve-wrecking to go to places knowing that anyone could have the virus and not really know it. Not necessarily for me but for those who are at high risk like the elderly and sick. Yeah people are washing their hands and using hand sanitizer but there is still the risk for others who are more susceptible,” Nichols said about his fears for the virus.

Although there are some who have concerns about the virus, some people are less concerned personally.

“I’m not too concerned about the virus. There aren’t many people going out with the current situation so the amount of people I am around is low and I wash my hands and use hand sanitizer and do what I can to help protect myself,” Boyd said.

With the issue of COVID-19 currently present in everyday life, people have different opinions, but one thing is consistent: people out in public, whether it be employees of public establishments or people shopping or just people going out in public, are following most of the precautions and regulations talked about by officials in the government and by health officials to help prevent and limit the spread of the virus.