Social distressing

Working in retail in COVID-19 times: A personal recount by SIMMI SINGH

Everyday I step out of the house to go to work now, it is with trepidation. I am no longer fresh and bristling with energy but fearful and confused. I work in what is considered ‘Essential Retail’.

As I say goodbye to my family who are social distancing by working and studying from home, I am grateful they are safe and at home.

I am, however, the risk to me and them!

I am the one dealing with a variety of people, touching potentially hazardous surfaces and breathing potentially unsafe air. I have little choice but to do so to avoid joining the hundreds waiting outside Centerlink.

My boss sends messages of ‘support’ telli g us e ca affo to pa the bills,while quoting fresh statistics of job losses in other industries.

Meanwhile, every person who steps through the door looks suspicious to me!

Has he self-isolated after travelling from another country? Is she running a temperature? Is that cute kid a carrier? Did I touch anything I shouldn’t? It is no lo ge a o to offe se vice o sell.

I wear a mask that sometimes mists my prescription glasses; I change gloves three times a day at least; I got the masking tape out and marked the spot so people know how far to stand from me and I confess its more than 1.5 metres. One can’t be careful enough.

It does not deter some people though; they come straight up to me, way too close even for normal comfort and demand service. Obviously they don’t read the news or think nothing will happen and are willing to take chances.

Either way I am the one at risk!

The discussion at home is no longer about the next social outing or my friend’s wedding or my own upcoming milestone; it’s about bills, sanitation and sanity. My worry nowadays is will I live to see my own landmark birthday?

I am normally the strong one in my family, so none of the above is familiar territory. Up until now I did not know what living in fear meant.

Thanks to a virus the entire world is living in fear, barring the ones who still visit stores coughing all over the place, standing too close, wanting to shake hands and stepping closer when you step back.

They do not know the fear that I do!

Friends who work in frontline have similar stories. Some of their workplaces are taking things seriously, some are slack. With the situation changing rapidly people are being impacted in various ways.

● 21-year-old Alysha works in a bank. Her parents do not want her to go to work. She is fearful she will lose the opportunity so early in her working career. She is equally worried for her frail grandparents who live with them. She is undecided what to do.

● 49-year-old Sharee works in telecommunications and has asked her employer how she will be supported should she contract the virus; she’s still waiting for an answer. Her immediate supervisor speculated that they might ask her to use her own sick and annual leave in that situation and she will need to pay her own medical bills.

● 19-year-old Ravi works on the cash counter at a local supermarket and had just started living on his own with friends as roommates. They’ve all moved back with their parents, as they have no security of hours anymore to be able to affo the e t. avi ha his hours slashed from 20 to 4.

● 39-year-old Vik has worked in retail for nearly twenty years. He is the sole bread earner with two little children. After work, he enters the family home via the laundry door and has a shower first. He then puts his clothes in the washing and wipes every surface that he has touched. His children cannot understand why they cannot hug their dad anymore. He just does not wish to expose them or take any chances.

The need of the hour is for employers and employees to work together to protect the health of employees and customers and to keep the workplace delivering essential services.

Some Preventive Measures For Retail Establishments To Mitigate Risk

● Place posters and other signage that encourage staying home when sick, cough and sneeze etiquettes at the entrance to your establishment and in other nearby areas where they are likely to be seen by customers and clients.

● Ensure a clean and sanitary environment. Have employees disinfect frequently touched surfaces such as doorknobs, tables, desks, and handrails. Provide disposable wipes to ensure frequently used surfaces are cleaned.

● Encourage staff who can, to telework or work online

● Space workers at the worksite, Stagger work schedules, decrease social contacts in the workplace (limit one on one meetings)

● Reduce the capacity of customers. Ensure that people keep 1.5 metres away from others

● Encourage tap and pay instead of cash

● Screen employees everyday to identify the key symptoms to watch for as fever, cough and shortness of breath

● Provide ready access to hand sanitizer and hand sanitizer stations and request employees and customers to abide by personal hygiene recommendations.

Change your workout priorities while self-isolating, says fitness mentor Ash Nath

From gym sharks to workout novices, many people have been inspired to take up fitness challenges in the last few weeks. As the common adage goes: ‘it takes 21 days to develop a habit’. However, strenuous exercise might be doing more harm than good in these troubling times.

“Many fitness geeks are only thinking of how to continue their workouts while adapting it to present circumstances,” says veteran marathon runner and fitness mentor Ashok ‘Ash’ Nath. “But we’re missing the bigger picture that immunity is kept higher through low to moderate exercise.”

Studies have shown that exercises of low to moderate intensity stimulate the immune system by improving the circulation of blood and immunitybuilding substances in the body. This p ovi es a positive effect fo a s afte the workout.

Conversely, high intensity exercise temporarily reduces immunity by releasing stress hormones like cortisol that run the risk of lowering defence systems for one to three days after the workout.

A recent viral video from France showed a 32-year-old man training for a marathon at home, running over 42 kilometres along his balcony. On Instagram, fitness challenges have friends tagging each other to complete certain exercises in under one minute and post it online.

Instead of blindly following trends, Ash advocates re-thinking our fitness goals while in self-isolation.

“Eat around 70 per cent of your daily calorie intake to detox and cleanse your system,” he suggests. “Go for simple, clean food with mindfulness towards boosting immunity. Spend time with family and rediscover positive habits like reading, cooking and painting. Only then should you assess the intensity, duration, and frequency of your exercise regime.”

According to the 57-year-old running evangelist, it’s better to switch to a relaxing, de-stressing exercise routine. While low to moderate intensity varies according to individual fitness levels, some common exercises to follow include yoga, easy jogging, and stationary cycling. Some people can opt for exercises on the stairs at home, innovating based on accessibility.

He recommends an hour of relaxed movement including exercises with body or weight resistance.

As people are mostly going to be indoors, he also suggests adding Vitamin D and zinc supplements to your diet.

“Ask yourself – ‘if something was to happen to someone dear to me, how would I wish I had spent these days?’

Live that life now, not following some 21day fitness challenge that drains you of precious energy,” Ash says.

Rhea L Nath