How to give back to health care workers
Caribbean L 18 ife, Oct. 2-8, 2020
Metro Creative Connection
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Millions of people across the
globe donate to charities or volunteer
as a means of bolstering
their communities and helping
the less fortunate. Such help is
valuable no matter when it’s offered,
but giving back in 2020
has proven to be an especially
necessary endeavor.
As a global pandemic took
hold during the winter of 2019-
20, millions of people found
themselves battling a potentially
deadly virus, while millions
more found themselves
out of work as the economy
came crashing to a halt. Health
care workers have been on the
front lines in the fi ght against
the COVID-19 virus for months
on end. Stressful working environments
and concerns about
bringing the virus home and
potentially infecting their families
have made the challenges
of fi ghting the pandemic even
tougher for health care workers.
Supporting such workers
in these uncertain times can be
a great way for people to show
just how much they appreciate
the extraordinary efforts of
doctors, nurses, EMTs, and others
who continue to confront
COVID-19 every day.
• Keep it simple. Efforts to
give back to health care workers
need not be extraordinary.
Simple gestures like preparing
a weeknight meal for health
care workers and their families,
offering to babysit on a weekend
afternoon or tackle a few chores
around the house can help exhausted
health care workers
catch their breath.
• Donate more than just your
time and effort. An actively engaged
general public can reassure
health care workers that
they’re not alone in the fi ght
against COVID-19 and other potentially
deadly viruses and diseases.
While blood is not used to
treat COVID-19, various health
organizations, including the
U.S. Surgeon General’s Offi ce,
have expressed concerns that
hospitals will not have enough
blood on hand to treat accident
victims and sick people who
need blood to survive. Social
distancing measures may be
keeping potential blood donors
away, but the American Red
Cross is urging people to continue
donating blood so health
care workers can meet the
needs of patient care.
• Support efforts to procure
more funding for hospitals.
Since the outbreak of COVID-19,
both the American Hospital Association
and the American
Nurses Association have expressed
hospitals’ need for more
fi nancial support as they continue
to battle the virus. By supporting
such efforts and encouraging
others to do the same,
people looking to give back can
send a message to health care
workers that they’re supported
and that their voices are being
heard.
Health care workers continue
to confront the COVID-19
virus every day. Giving back
to these valued members of the
community is a great way to
show just how much their efforts
are appreciated.
— Metro Creative Connection
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