Daily COVID-19 Update from CEO Jeff Szabo - April 20, 2020
To all Employees:
- Safety Supervisor Nick Swain is preparing “care packages” for our work-from-home employees, with each kit containing three surgical masks and a thermometer (and he is wearing personal protective equipment as he’s putting the packages together as a safety precaution). The packages are being mailed to employees’ homes upon request, so if you would like one, please email Nick at the email address below.
- As noted by Governor Cuomo in his briefing today, there’s much to be optimistic about in the fight against COVID-19, as both statewide deaths and hospitalizations are down in recent days. But the shutdown of schools and businesses considered to be non-essential have been extended to May 15, which should remind all of us how incredibly important it is to remain vigilant with the practices we’ve adopted to protect ourselves, our co-workers and our loved ones during this ordeal. (For a quick review of those practices, please see the link to the video sent out via text on Friday).
- Many employees have sought latex gloves to wear during the workday. If you’re working in the field and wearing work gloves, it is not necessary to wear latex gloves under them unless you have open cuts or sores. If you do not have a job that previously required wearing gloves, you do not need them now. COVID-19 cannot penetrate healthy skin; it enters the body through mucous membranes, which are in your eyes, mouth, and nose. Latex gloves may help remind you not to touch your face, but do not provide additional protection against the virus.
If you have any questions of a general nature pertaining to COVID-19 and SCWA protocol that you would like answered either directly or in an all employee bulletin, please email Tim Motz at tim.motz@scwa.com. Workplace safety-related inquiries should be directed to Nick Swain at nicholas.swain@scwa.com. Please contact Donna Mancuso at donna.mancuso@scwa.com with any questions concerning COVID-19 and the workplace.