Failures to Protect Health and Essential Workers During COVID-19 Pandemic Wildfires

Health Editor’s Note: America has lost 3,000 (probably a low figure) of healthcare and essential workers to COVID-19 during this coronavirus pandemic. At the beginning of the pandemic there was a sketchy number of personal protection supplies available to protect those who were in contact with COVID-19 infected patients. Healthcare workers worked in unsafe environments. Now, even with mostly adequate PPEs, being in constant contact with the coronavirus increases the chances of contracting the virus. As the wildfires of COVID-19 continue to burn, stress and anxiety of daily facing a demon virus, with no set cure or vaccine for, is taking a large toll on the emotional and physical well-being of these workers…..Carol

Failures to Protect Health and Essential Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic

by Amnesty International

In March 2020, the WHO declared COVID-19 to be a pandemic. At the time of writing this report, 11,125,245 people had contracted the illness and 528,204 people had died as a result. Most countries had imposed some form of restrictions on people’s movement and other human rights to control the spread of the virus. And several countries are yet to see the worst of the pandemic. At this difficult time, health and essential workers have played an extraordinary role in the response to the pandemic.

Across countries, they have put their health and well-being at risk, often in very difficult circumstances and with very little support, to ensure that people are able to access the essential services they need, including health care, food and other nutritional supplies, and emergency public services. Despite this, health and essential workers across the world have faced enormous challenges in doing their jobs and governments have not adequately protected them. Amnesty International’s analysis has shown that over 3000 health workers have lost their lives due to COVID-19 during the pandemic – a figure that is likely to be a major underestimate given a lack of reporting – and many others have worked in unsafe environments due to shortages in personal protective equipment (PPE). ….read more:

Carol Duff, MSN, BA, RN

Carol graduated from Riverside White Cross School of Nursing in Columbus, Ohio and received her diploma as a registered nurse. She attended Bowling Green State University where she received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History and Literature. She attended the University of Toledo, College of Nursing, and received a Master’s of Nursing Science Degree as an Educator.

She has traveled extensively, is a photographer, and writes on medical issues. Carol has three children RJ, Katherine, and Stephen – one daughter-in-law; Katie – two granddaughters; Isabella Marianna and Zoe Olivia – and one grandson, Alexander Paul. She also shares her life with her husband Gordon Duff, many cats, and two rescues.

• Carol’s Archives 2009-2013