Front Line Workers Maintain Safety as COVID-19 cases Rise

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, essential workers have remained on the front lines. While some employees were able to work from home others had to report for work as usual. In Savannah, GA, nearly all businesses have reopened after closing their doors during the city’s mandatory shelter in place order back in March. Employees who were laid off were able to return to work with new restrictions and CDC safety guidelines. As COVID-19 cases have reached an all time high, both essential and non-essential employees are at a greater risk of exposure.

The Department of Public Health advises the best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus. For those who still have to report to work, avoiding exposure can be difficult. Firefighter Sean Bright feels that COVID-19 adds an additional hazard to his already dangerous career. “Firefighters are sometimes the first responders to the scene of an accident, so we may have first contact with a patient or victim who could have the virus”, said Bright.

Wearing a mask while in public is recommended by the Center for Disease Control(CDC) as a measure to slow the spread of the COVID-19. Since March 2020, the number of confirmed cases in Georgia is now over 72,000. Savannah Mayor Van Johnson would like to make wearing a mask in public mandatory. Other states, like Florida, have already began mandating legal requirements for residents to wear face covering in public.

While restaurants, hospitals, and doctor’s offices require that their employees where masks, other places like law offices and grocery stores seem more relaxed on the requirement. Trellani Smith, a receptionist at a downtown Savannah law firm, would like to see a mask requirement in her office. “We still have clients coming in to pick up checks and sign papers, so I wear a mask because I am the first point of contact”, said Smith.

As law offices were deemed essential, employees like Trellani Smith have been working ever since the start of the pandemic.

“I did not have the option to work from home. I would feel much safer if everyone in the office wore a mask as I do.”

There is still no vaccine for the COVID-19 and the number of confirmed cases in Georgia have spiked in the last week. For the safety of all employees who come into contact with numerous people while on the job, all safety guidelines recommended by the CDC should be followed.