COVID-19 has brought our world to a standstill, and now after a stop-the-spread, flattening-the-curve, shelter-in-place point in time, our nation is looking at methods to responsibly reopen the economy and return life with economic well-being.
These actions impact all of us. How do we get people back to work? Children back in school? Visit friends, family, or a favorite restaurant? Haircut? And how do we do it so safely?
Even with best practices in reopening the economy, our public interfaces everywhere will (and must) be much different. Unlike other storms we have weathered, where in the aftermath were focused on rebuilding, with COVID-19, we are still fighting against its spread and subsequent outbreaks with no approved treatment specific for COVID-19 or a vaccine.
The White House released Guidelines for Opening Up America Again (whitehouse.gov/openingamerica), a three-phased approach based on the advice of public health experts. These steps were created to help state and local officials provide guidance as they reopen their economies, get people back to work and continue to protect American lives.
Amid controversy and uncertainty as to when both essential and nonessential businesses will reopen, one thing is certain: At some point, all businesses that have survived the crisis will reopen. And each must draw on the ways that essential businesses have responsibly continued operations over the past weeks by:
Taking aggressive measures for the safety of workers and customers and developing new protocols
Maintaining timely, clear communications to meet the challenges
The purpose of guidance is just that, to offer direction and provide a framework for best practices in the reopening phase. But as the saying goes, the devil is in the details, and not every business, organization, institution or every area throughout the country are the same. Not every opening scenario can align with every other at the same time.
No one will be reentering businesses under normal conditions. COVID-19 is still in the picture. Experts see the management phase of the crisis lasting well into 2021, consisting of reorganizing how we work, travel, congregate, eat move and connect.
Much of the fabric of public interfaces, from checkouts to shaking hands to meetings to getting gas, has changed during this pandemic. And this will be reflected in the physical marketplace, too.
The top priority across all sectors of reopening is to ensure COVID-19 safety protocols for workers, customers, and visitors including actively supporting the guidelines and understandings, limiting the number of people in a closed space, partitioning between customers and workers, monitoring employees health and regularly cleaning surfaces and strengthening hygiene procedures (e.g., providing hand sanitizer, sinks/soap/water, and personal protective equipment).
Special accommodations need to be considered for personnel who are members of a vulnerable population.
Temperature checks may be implemented for visitors entering buildings. New technologies are fast developing to quickly screen the temperature of many people at a time via heat-detection cameras, while connecting findings to a laptop or a tablet in real time.
COVID-19 spreads mainly from person-to-person but also via surfaces. New research warns it can be transmitted easily by talking. So, as you step into the new phases of reopening, its most important to be vigilant in protecting yourself and others. Following the CDC guidelines, you should:
Wash your hands, often and thoroughly with soap and water (20 seconds), including after sneezing, blowing your nose or touching surfaces. If soap/water are not available, use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
Wear a protective mask covering your mouth and nose when out in public. Cloth face coverings should not be placed on children under age 2, anyone who has trouble breathing or is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.
Maintain strict social distancing protocols. Stay at least 6 feet from other people.
Avoid congregating/engaging in common areas or large groups.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces often (use detergent or soap and water prior to disinfection).
Avoid contact with people who are sick, even inside your home.
Respect your state and local recommendations.
Maintain a healthy diet, exercising routinely along with getting quality sleep.
Taking time for healthy self-care physically, mentally and emotionally.
And, please, maintain careful measures knowing that COVID-19 can be transmitted by others, completely unknowingly, termed silent spreaders. There are three categories:
Asymptomatic: People carrying the virus but never having any symptoms. Testing would be the only way to confirm, but people without symptoms rarely seek testing.
Presymptomatic: People infected who are incubating the virus but dont yet show symptoms. Once infected with this virus, it can take 5 to 14 days for any symptoms to appear, allowing them to unknowingly spread it to others.
Very mildly symptomatic: People who may feel slightly unwell but continue to be in contact with others, often thinking its nothing or just a little cold often powering through, going to work and public places, where they infect others who can become far sicker. This doesnt really count as silent transmission because theres some sign the virus could be present. With even a mild cough, low fever, or any flu symptoms, assume you have COVID-19 and isolate yourself from others immediately.
This pandemic is not a one-time event that weve weathered. Its an ongoing, developing situation with many unknowns and challenges.
Reducing the risk of exposure to COVID-19 by carefully managing these measures is an essential part of reopening public spaces. Every American has been called upon to slow the spread of the virus and care for our communities through social distancing and preventive hygiene.
Everyone has a role in making sure our communities are as safe as possible to reopen and remain open.
Dr. Nina Radcliff, of Galloway Township, is a physician anesthesiologist, television medical contributor and textbook author. Email questions for Dr. Nina to editor@pressofac.com with Dr. Nina in the subject line.
This article is for general information only and should not be used for the diagnosis or treatment of medical conditions and cannot substitute for the advice from your medical professional.
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Staying safe, healthy amid pandemic during proposed reopenings: Dr Nina Radcliff - Press of Atlantic City
