Workplace Vulnerability to COVID-19: A Global Challenge

The outbreak of coronavirus in late December, 2019 has led to the lockdown of various major cities across the world. Global governments have suspended the majority of their public services due to the deadly pandemic. The virus has spread with a significant number of deaths, and the worst-hit countries include China, Italy, and France. These nations have experienced the challenge as compared to the rest of the world. News has also spread across the globe regarding the ailment, a scenario that instigated fear and anxiety among people.

The virus has occupied the entire newsrooms, newspapers, along with all other social media platforms. Every day, stories and news are all about the deadly virus and how people can minimize contact with infected individuals through minimal movements to crowded places and self-quarantine among the affected persons. In this article, healthcare news, the majority of the affected groups are workers along with other vulnerable groups such as business persons who need to do business for their living.

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Evidence suggests that within a week, one out of ten workers can easily get exposed to the deadly coronavirus at work.

A spectrum of people ad reactions has been envisaged across the world. Millions of workers across industries have been left in the circle. Typically, the majority of workers do interact with the public and are easily exposed to the virus, hence facing a higher risk of falling sick as castigated by Thompson (2020). One of the weaknesses of the article is that an estimated number of workers summing to more than 14 million in the US alone, face exposure to the coronavirus infections daily, meaning that one out of ten people, get infected with the disease.

Also, the trend is worsening elsewhere in the world, with public and private workers being the most affected groups as opined by Thompson (2020).

Workers in the healthcare and medical industry are the most susceptible groups since they are at higher risk of getting infected with the disease. Another critical analytical by Thompson (2020) shows that more than 75% of healthcare professionals and their support usually get exposed to infections weekly. Additionally, other professionals that are at high risk for coronavirus infections, just like healthcare workers, include teachers across all learning institutions, police officers across prisons as well as social service workers. However, the article provides good news as one of its strengths that various medical research centers are working towards getting the vaccine. The recently founded vaccine has been tested on animals and worked, and now waiting for a group of human testing before getting released to the market for use.

Despite having spread across the world, Thompson (2020) highlights that significant measures from global governments are essential at this moment to mitigate the situation. The author, in this news article, has articulated relevant findings and expects that governments should act with speed to find a vaccine away from quarantining people. I hold the view that patients infected with coronavirus need our support, from both the government and other private entities. I have realized that governments across the world have set aside adequate resources meant to support the affected persons and also to address emergency cases when the need arises. I also urge the public health effort to involve all other relevant agents that can help to alleviate the ailment efficiently and effectively. For instance, all employee needs fully compensation in the period they are away from work. They should further support the sick with the required services. Employers should also change their policies and provide compulsory sick leave to infected employees and, by extension, provide them with necessary support such as working from home and other incentives while away. Such an approach will enable patients to continue working to earn a living as they fight the coronavirus disease.

Reference

1. Thompson, D. (2020). One in 10 workers could be exposed to coronavirus weekly at work. Medical Express. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-03-workers-exposed-coronavirus-weekly.html