My cellular phone rang in the office. Oops, I forgot to put it on vibrate. I quickly turned the ring volume down. The caller was my daughter’s school. The time displayed was 9:04 a.m. I dropped her off at school an hour ago, what could have gone wrong? My heart pounded faster in my chest with the anticipation of bad news.
“Hello,” I answered.
“Hello, this is an IRIS ‘Red Alert’. Superintendent of Catholic Schools, Mr. Michael J. Deegan, has announced that Catholic Schools within the Archdiocese of New York will close all elementary schools in our system effective Monday, March 16th, 2020, until Friday, March 20th, 2020, with the possibility of a lengthier closure…” The message was loud and clear, it was expected. My heartbeat gradually subsided to its normal rhythm.
This COVID-19 (coronavirus) is now pandemic. As a precautionary measure, the schools will be closed. I marched to the HR department to figure out how to proceed with getting time off to stay home with my child.
My employer implemented a policy that allowed employees to use up to 40 hours of sick time for coronavirus related issues.
I will be home for a week or two or three, probably. The Coronavirus is likely to spread from person to person who are in close contact with one another. Being home decreased the chance of contracting the virus.
How to protect yourself and others from Coronavirus? http://www.cdc.gov/coconavirus
- Wash hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds.
- Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve when sneezing or coughing. Do not use your hands.
- Do not touch your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
- Do not shake hands. Instead, wave.
- Monitor your health more closely than usual for cold and flu symptoms.
- Reduce overcrowding.
Stay safe and share this information.
Ok, I said it!
It seems like we are all home.
Stay safe and looking forward to reading the next article!