It's been a while... hope everyone is well.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rebirth0
My job is at a convenience store and is apparently essential so its business as usual. 48 hours a week, "we will be there for our customers"
At least if I or anyone in my family gets anything they will pay entirely for the medical expenses and I get 100% paid sick leave for as long as it takes.
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I work at a convenience store in New Hampshire, not far from the Massachusetts border. We have gas, diesel, a coffee shop and deli, which sells sandwiches and sliced meats/cheeses. We are told we are "essential" during this pandemic. There is currently an "outbreak" that was reported at a high school just a few miles down the road. Local news reports are showing a handful of new cases confirmed in our county almost daily. Our corporate headquarters that calls all the shots is located in Texas. They haven't announced any plans to close, so it's business as usual.
A few of my coworkers will, without a doubt in my mind, die if they get this. We sanitize and clean
EVERYTHING as often as possible but is that really enough? The fact that you can carry this for days without knowing has sent my anxiety into high gear the past couple weeks. I have had multiple anxiety attacks at work brought on by the thought of contracting this and possibly spreading it to, and ultimately killing, some of my coworkers. We joke that "If one of us has it, we all have it." which is why we all continue to show up for work. (Nobody has any symptoms) That, and the fact we need our paychecks. Unemployment is an option, but the system is being overwhelmed right now, so why bother when the job security is there?
I have been asthmatic since contracting RSV as an infant. I have been overweight most of my life, although I have improved my lifestyle and lost a considerable amount of weight over the past two years. I quit smoking cigarettes almost five years ago but still smoke marijuana daily. Everything I see on social media or the news says I should be afraid for my life right now. My boss tells us the media is blowing everything out of proportion and we will all be fine if we continue to follow careful sanitary procedures.
There is currently no shelter in place order. In an effort to slow the spread, people are being asked to stay home unless it is essential that they go out. Let me tell you.... I worked last night and more than half of my customers had no
need to be there. Most people wandered through the store for 5-10 minutes with no clue what they
wanted before finally checking out. A lot of them paid with cash. Some people sneezed/coughed without covering while others used their hands to wipe their noses. We have a sanitizer dispenser mounted to the outside of the front door which less than half of them used (probably less than a quarter, but I wasn't counting)
I am to the point that I sleep in gloves filled with lotion. My hands feel like scales because I wash and sanitize so often. My airways feel irritated, which I have been hoping (and reassured) is due to breathing sanitizing solution for most of my shifts. I have been monitoring my temperature daily and have so far been normal. I am as careful as I can be, but I am constantly interacting with people that are treating this like a big joke.