"Where were you in spring 2020? What was particular about lockdown (or non-lockdown) where you were?"
In March (Spring) of 2020, I was working 3rd shift as a pharmacist (chemist?? Sounds better) at University Hospitals Geauga Medical Center, a rural hospital in the heart of Amish country in Northeastern Ohio. I worked alone and took on all comers on 3rd shift for 10 years, and I was nearly age 67 in March 2020. The Amish did not vaccinate nor did they practice social-distancing in their communities, especially during Easter 2020, after which there was an explosion of covid-infected Amish piling into our hospital.
Of course, hospital workers were considered essential; we didn’t know from day to day whether we would be allowed to go home or have to stay in place for a few months. If anyone has ever worked in a hospital you know that in the best of circumstances the trains don’t run on time; so during the first 6 month of the pandemic, it wasn’t Bedlam, but close enough.
On 3rd shift, the sickest people show up after midnight because they’ve waited all day long to see if the symptoms lessen and show up in the ER when the situation is dire; during the pandemic that situation increased exponentially. One night in May 2020, about 10 people showed up in the Emergency Room, all with covid, and 3 died within 50 minutes of showing up and two of those were people in their early 50’s.
In March of 2020, the EEOC declared the covid pandemic a “direct threat” to health. This was only the 2nd time a direct threat was declared in U.S. history. It was especially a “direct threat” to the health of those over 65 (I was 67) and those with a disability (I had a disability, Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia, and used a wheeled-walker to get around at work). The bureaucracy in our hospital was allowing lax infection prevention practices, exposing nurses and front-line workers to covid infected patients and, shamefully, fellow staff who they refused to allow to quarantine for the recommended 10 days after exposure to covid. https://www.laboremploymentlawblog.com/2020/03/articles/coronavirus/ada-disability-laws-confronted-pandemic/
I sought a waiver for my age and disability because under the “direct threat” standard, I was a direct threat to myself by showing up in the workplace. One morning, the managers refused to allow two staff members who had been exposed to nuclear family members, who were covid-positive, to quarantine and they showed up at work. I protested and I was terminated.
I was a union activist in another life and knew enough labor law to be dangerous, so I represented myself, Pro Se, in a discrimination lawsuit that is currently (4 years later) on appeal to the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals. Frank Dundee v. Geauga Medical Center; 23-3906
I was a pharmacist for 44 years and I never felt like my life was at risk, but during the covid pandemic it was a different story. I don’t have any right to complain compared to staff who provided direct patient care, such as nurses, doctors and technicians; they were in a minefield of infection every shift. As were grocers, check-out people and cashiers in food stores; the unsung heroes.
“Ah legend, thanks mate! cheers, very kind of you, cheers!”. That’s my new adopted thank you!
“Tulips in my mum’s garden, Hannah Meltzer” Simply beautiful.
“We’re winding the clock back to March 2020 and that infamous first lockdown of the pandemic.”
“C’est la merde,” said the waiter at my local bar-brasserie.” SOOOO FUNNY!! And perfect! My feelings: La pandémie était un sandwich de merde et chaque jour, vous preniez une autre bouchée.
“A few weeks ago I spent two days filming a video for The Times.” Two accents consecutively from one person? Just marvelous! That video is a keeper; I will pass it along with the Pen Friend newsletter.
I will buy “Women Holding Things” for my wife (and me!)
"Where were you in spring 2020? What was particular about lockdown (or non-lockdown) where you were?"
In March (Spring) of 2020, I was working 3rd shift as a pharmacist (chemist?? Sounds better) at University Hospitals Geauga Medical Center, a rural hospital in the heart of Amish country in Northeastern Ohio. I worked alone and took on all comers on 3rd shift for 10 years, and I was nearly age 67 in March 2020. The Amish did not vaccinate nor did they practice social-distancing in their communities, especially during Easter 2020, after which there was an explosion of covid-infected Amish piling into our hospital.
Of course, hospital workers were considered essential; we didn’t know from day to day whether we would be allowed to go home or have to stay in place for a few months. If anyone has ever worked in a hospital you know that in the best of circumstances the trains don’t run on time; so during the first 6 month of the pandemic, it wasn’t Bedlam, but close enough.
On 3rd shift, the sickest people show up after midnight because they’ve waited all day long to see if the symptoms lessen and show up in the ER when the situation is dire; during the pandemic that situation increased exponentially. One night in May 2020, about 10 people showed up in the Emergency Room, all with covid, and 3 died within 50 minutes of showing up and two of those were people in their early 50’s.
In March of 2020, the EEOC declared the covid pandemic a “direct threat” to health. This was only the 2nd time a direct threat was declared in U.S. history. It was especially a “direct threat” to the health of those over 65 (I was 67) and those with a disability (I had a disability, Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia, and used a wheeled-walker to get around at work). The bureaucracy in our hospital was allowing lax infection prevention practices, exposing nurses and front-line workers to covid infected patients and, shamefully, fellow staff who they refused to allow to quarantine for the recommended 10 days after exposure to covid. https://www.laboremploymentlawblog.com/2020/03/articles/coronavirus/ada-disability-laws-confronted-pandemic/
I sought a waiver for my age and disability because under the “direct threat” standard, I was a direct threat to myself by showing up in the workplace. One morning, the managers refused to allow two staff members who had been exposed to nuclear family members, who were covid-positive, to quarantine and they showed up at work. I protested and I was terminated.
I was a union activist in another life and knew enough labor law to be dangerous, so I represented myself, Pro Se, in a discrimination lawsuit that is currently (4 years later) on appeal to the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals. Frank Dundee v. Geauga Medical Center; 23-3906
I was a pharmacist for 44 years and I never felt like my life was at risk, but during the covid pandemic it was a different story. I don’t have any right to complain compared to staff who provided direct patient care, such as nurses, doctors and technicians; they were in a minefield of infection every shift. As were grocers, check-out people and cashiers in food stores; the unsung heroes.
I'm sure the story was the same in France.
“Ah legend, thanks mate! cheers, very kind of you, cheers!”. That’s my new adopted thank you!
“Tulips in my mum’s garden, Hannah Meltzer” Simply beautiful.
“We’re winding the clock back to March 2020 and that infamous first lockdown of the pandemic.”
“C’est la merde,” said the waiter at my local bar-brasserie.” SOOOO FUNNY!! And perfect! My feelings: La pandémie était un sandwich de merde et chaque jour, vous preniez une autre bouchée.
“A few weeks ago I spent two days filming a video for The Times.” Two accents consecutively from one person? Just marvelous! That video is a keeper; I will pass it along with the Pen Friend newsletter.
I will buy “Women Holding Things” for my wife (and me!)