Coronavirus: Resources for Workers

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WHAT IS CORONAVIRUS?

 The 2019 Coronavirus is a new strain virus that hasn’t been identified before in humans. It can resemble common cold symptoms initially, but can escalate to more serious respiratory disease. The official name for coronavirus is COVID-19 and it is caused by the SARS-COV-2 virus.
                        
IMPACT ON WORKERS
Because we spend so much of our public lives at work, all workers need guidance on assessing their risk of exposure. Those who work in front line healthcare and transportation may be at the highest risk, while others will be at lower risk.

PROTECT YOURSELF!
REMEMBER TO TAKE EVERYDAY PREVENTIVE ACTIONS that are always recommended to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses.

• Avoid close contact with sick people.
• While sick, limit contact with others as much as possible.
• Stay home if you are sick.
• Cover your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands; germs spread this way.
• Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with germs.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub with at least 60% alcohol.

HEALTH RIGHTS AT WORK
Your employer is responsible for providing proper training, relevant personal protective equipment, and record-keeping of possible exposures and infection.
                            
DISCRIMINATION DOESN’T MAKE US SAFER
Watch out for inaccurate information, racial profiling, and other actions not related to evidence-based prevention. These only become barriers to effective preparation and response to the spread of infectious disease. It’s against the law for a worker to be profiled and discriminated against based on their ethnicity and other protected classes.

RESOURCES FOR MORE INFORMATION

• U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Situation Summary, updated Feb. 5, 2020
• U.S. Centers for Disease Control, nCoV What the Public Should Do fact sheet
• U.S. Centers for Disease Control, Strategies for Optimizing the Supply of N95 Respirators
• U.S.Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA): 2019 Novel Coronavirus- Overview
• U.S. OSHA: 2019 Novel Coronavirus --Standards
• World Health Organization: Advice on Use of Masks in the Community, Jan, 28, 2020
• World Health Organization, Video: Novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV)
• National Nurses United: Novel Coronavirus-2019: What Nurses Need to Know
• Association of Flight Attendants-CWA: Coronavirus information for flight attendants
• County of San Diego: Fact Sheet -- Novel Coronavirus (NCoV-2019)
• Condado de san diego: Preguntas más frecuentes: Nuevo Coronavirus (NCoV-2019)
• 圣地亚哥县: 常見問題(FAQs)新型冠狀病毒 (NCoV-2019)
• NY State Nurses Association, 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Practice Alert, fact sheet