How are you handling anxiety in this time of COVID-19?

By all means, take precautions, I myself am. I'm not making light of the virus, but I think there's things we need to learn and apply to other viral outbreaks, including the flu. I listened to a Swedish doctor that said they did not see the extent of covid infections in their nursing homes that we did. But one reason is they have smaller nursing homes than we do. A Stanford researcher said we must guard the vulnerable, including hospitals and nursing homes, I couldn't agree more, I don't think he believes enough is being done in that regard, and the loss of people from these areas rather proves it. I am not talking the quality of the staff, I'm specifically addressing the control of infectious pathogens.

I worked in an Industrially Challenging place. As an Electrician (an Industrial Electrician, I paid to have my house rewired, it's not the same, though I could have struggled with it) my job was less demanding than the Mechanical Repair employees. There were devices that used electricity, we fixed that, but the things these devices connected to were installed and removed by the Mechanics. In that regard, Gas Streams were involved, things that you're not permitted to be exposed to over 20 ppm (parts per million) existed in these pipes and processes at over 500,000 ppm. Without full face respirators, breathing air and Hazmat Suits, some of these things were quickly deadly. Many would render a person unconscious with a single breath. Teams then had to wear the proper PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) and go into the area to rescue the worker. Thankfully, I wasn't a Mechanic (they did all the dangerous stuff) so I never had to wear Breathing Air to do my job.

But other chemicals were present, and particulates. And both these were at levels that OSHA permitted the use of Air Purifying Respirators. Respirators were ubiquitous, everyone had to wear them, working an 8 hour shift is was possible to be in the Air Purifying Respirator most of the shift. So they were very important.

The Union offered me a position as a Safety Rep, and I accepted. I like to research, I like to read technical literature about things that interest me. So I discovered areas where improvements were possible in Respirator use in the plant. At one point, the yearly Industrial Hygiene classes were taught by a contracted employee, and the Corporation offered it to the Union, and Union people, with contacts from the Company throughout the day, began to instruct various segments of Industrial Hygiene. The Segments were provided, Power Points, and the class and content was approved by the Corporation. I was grateful to both the Union and Corporation for the opportunity.

We were provided training as part of our job, over the years, from the International Union, and from the Company. We had completed the Train the Trainer Outreach Training with OSHA, and attended week long Safety Seminars once yearly provided by the Company. Alas, Local Union Presidents appoint the safety reps, so after two and a half terms, one and one half with one president, and one term with another, I wasn't appointed to the safety office of an incoming Local Union President. Such is life, it was interesting and challenging but we all know that the Local President decides, it's just the way it is.

I think Respirators will reduce the chance of getting an infection, I think the right respirator or surgical mask reduces particles given off by those that are infected, during a cough, sneeze, or just talking. They both keep a person from inadvertently touching their mouth or nose while in areas that may have infectious agents present. I agree that a scarf, or other covering can prevent particles from significantly becoming airborne, so I understand why some areas require this.

Take care, enjoyed writing this, hope this is what you wanted as a response.

Be well.

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@soliloquized Without your enlightening response, I would have never had the opportunity to learn anything about what a career as an Industrial Electrician required in both natural aptitude and extensive training.

Acting as the OSHA Train the Trainer Safety Rep for your operation, your research and classes probably saved employee lives. Unfortunately, most of us know what part politics at the top can play in careers. Kudos to you for your critical role in keeping employees safe.

For someone who is utterly illiterate in all things to with electrical, mechanical, or electronic functions, I sincerely appreciate your clarity of writing to someone as woefully unskilled as me. Thank you so much for the "virtual tour" and peek inside what would otherwise have remained a mystery and never explored opportunity.

It takes so many different wheels to keep our universe spinning and all too often, it has been far to easy to take for granted how each cog and each wheel must work together smoothly to create the finished product. Perhaps one of the lessons we will carry forward is a greater understanding of and appreciation for both the human and mechanical factors required for each to do its part.

It is heartening to hear from someone with a career in particle transfer that the precautions, whether masks or face coverings, that we lay people can use will help deflect the spread of the pandemic. Thank you.

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I wrote, and checked, procedures at my workplace, I love to write. I was an Electronic School grad (and a Opticianary School grad, and almost a Pharmacy Technician School grad - the job I made a career of, in the mill, offered the job one month before I completed the Pharmacy School), but the electrical things there at my employer I retired from were beyond my initial comprehension. 3000 HP motors that ran on 15,000 volts, and had Breakers the size of refrigerators. They were older breakers, newer ones are big, but not quite that big. All new experiences for me, I almost left the first day, everything was massive. I've included a photo of my workplace, the emissions are steam, probably particles lifted in it, but now it's river water used to quench coke, I didn't work at the river, or in coking, we recovered chemicals from the Coke Gas and Cooling Water. Years ago they got rid of contaminated water by quenching with it, it must have been horrible. Today they use clean water, though there are other emissions from the plant. Thought you might enjoy the photo. Thanks much for the thoughtful message. I'd seen it sooner, but an online friend is in Spain, since he can't leave home, he blogs all day, and my inbox is filled with notices. He doesn't speak English, I don't speak Spanish, we use Google Translate. LOL.

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What verse?

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Living alone does not help, but tr6 to keep busy seeing, wish we could return to a normal life

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Living alone does not help, but tr6 to keep busy seeing, wish we could return to a normal life

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I'm 81 years old. I have no problems staying home all the time! My problem is no matter how careful I observe social distancing, people are still don't get how contagious this Coronavirus is, they would try to come close to me and talk! They either don't care or know that person-to-person transmission are through droplets from cough, sneeze and talking!!! Each time this happened, I would count my days to see if I show Coronavirus symptoms, just like I'm waiting for my lab result for some dreaded disease. Same fear happened if I touched my mail and packages too soon before any Coronavirus died, if any are on the surfaces!
This fear and worry is with me each day! The only thing that can calm me down is telling myself if I died of Coronavirus, it 'll be quicker than cancer. it'll be a blessing than to live another 20 years in pain and sickness!!!

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I'm 81 years old. I have no problems staying home all the time! My problem is no matter how careful I observe social distancing, people are still don't get how contagious this Coronavirus is, they would try to come close to me and talk! They either don't care or know that person-to-person transmission are through droplets from cough, sneeze and talking!!! Each time this happened, I would count my days to see if I show Coronavirus symptoms, just like I'm waiting for my lab result for some dreaded disease. Same fear happened if I touched my mail and packages too soon before any Coronavirus died, if any are on the surfaces!
This fear and worry is with me each day! The only thing that can calm me down is telling myself if I died of Coronavirus, it 'll be quicker than cancer. it'll be a blessing than to live another 20 years in pain and sickness!!!

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