Testing and PPE usefulness during this crisis

Testing is one method in this fight to end the virus, and the results help reveal who is infected and who is not infected. The Conversion writes, “The World Health Organization is recommending frequent and broad testing in order to identify exactly who has and hasn’t caught the virus, and stop its spread by isolating the infected.”  There are options for testing the community, like the current test method. This test method is more accurate but it is expensive, but it takes only three hours to find out the result.  The Conversion writes, “The current test method relies on looking for genetic evidence of the virus using the so-called Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) method. This method is very sensitive and can diagnose infected patients even in the early phase of the disease.”  The Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) is a more accurate result and faster than other tests.  The other option is the Antibodies, a blood test that helps to fight the virus. Antibodies are the good bacteria inside the body that fights off the bad bacteria. The antibodies test is cheaper and easier to use than the PCR method.  This test is available over the counter and anyone can take this test in their home. Antibodies take one week to detect the results.   

In this pandemic crisis, doctors and nurses around the world are working overtime to save lives. Doctors and nurses working as frontline workers are diligently working hard to protect ill patients. The infected person has to be isolated and observed by doctors and nurses. Through isolation, it is the best way to protect the community from exposure to illnesses. Health care facilities continue treating patients until they are healed and have recovered from viruses. Isolating the infected people helps save lives and prevent the virus from spreading.  

Densely populated cities in the United States, such as New York City, have higher percentages of infected patients than cities. Hospitals in these areas need more doctors, medicine for treatment, and protective equipment for first responders. In addition to protection from the community, frontline workers must be protected, so they remain healthy and continue to offer their expertise in fighting the pandemic. It is important that the frontline workers are equipped with protective workwear for safety and hygienic precautions upon meeting patients. “We certainly did not want to spread. So we used the highest level of protection that we have available to treat this patient as one would Ebola” (Doctor, nurses describe treating coronavirus patients).  Some countries are sending ventilators and it is a big help, and well received by those in need of life-saving assistance.  The government was late in addressing this virus that has caused more than one million cases and almost 90 thousand citizens have lost their lives.  This situation may have put our first responders in serious health dangers because of its late actions. 

In order to stop the coronavirus spread, People must ensure that they protect their lives first by the appropriate use of PPE( personal protective equipment) not only face masks and face shields, but it requires correct and demanding behavior from health care workers, especially in doffing procedures and hand hygiene practices. The world health organization(WHO) stated the fact that coronavirus can be transmitted through respiratory droplets, conjunctiva, and contact routes that's why one must cover one's face since they are private parts also before leaving the house.

Covid-19 and it's Effects on the Homeless Community

In order to help prevent the spread of coronavirus and care for yourself during this global crisis, please be sure to wash your hands with soap and water frequently for a minimum of 20 seconds each time. Stay home except for essential needs and activities. Practice physical distancing and  stay 6 feet away from others. Wear a cloth face mask if you leave home. Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily.

     Also, we know staying away from our beloved ones is not easy but in such a situation , the best thing to do is safety . We may not be able to see them for a short period of time,  but in another way, we did the best favor for each other.  If  anyone gets infected it may transfer to other people around him/her. Therefore, the best thing to do is  to practice safety.

Help The Homelessness During This Pandemic

Darius Hayden

Armani Harris

Professor Adrienne Oliver

English 1A

May 11, 2020

Help The Homelessness During This Pandemic

Homelessness is not a choice an individual makes but is a result of poverty, unemployment, and lack of affordable housing. Many homeless people come from a loving family, and at one point in their life, they had jobs and homes. Economic and social challenges cause them to suffer and make bad life choices which lead them down the road of homelessness. I believe homeless people should have access to resources for their physical health, mental health, and low-income housing during this pandemic.

COVID-19 is a mild to severe respiratory illness that is caused by a coronavirus, is transmitted chiefly by contact with infectious material (such as respiratory droplets) or with objects or surfaces contaminated by the causative virus, and is characterized especially by fever, cough, and shortness of breath and may progress to pneumonia and respiratory failure (Park 14). Many homeless people have underlying healthing conditions like HIV/AIDS, mental illness and chronic lung disease which can weaken their immune system (Carpenter 1). Due to many homeless having these health problems, they should be able to have access to the basic health care services. The basic health care services includes in and out-of-area emergency services, inpatient hospital and physician care, outpatient medical services, laboratory and radiology services, and preventive health services. Each person should be able to get a check up once a year to keep up with their health no matter their circumstances. 

While the COVID-19 pandemic carries on, it is significant that human services are accessible for all populations both to battle the spread of the infection and to record precise information and measurements about the sickness. Many homeless people have underlying healthing conditions like HIV/AIDS, mental illness and chronic lung disease which can weaken their immune system (Carpenter 1). Social Distancing is a set of actions taken to stop or slow the spread of a highly contagious disease. The goal of social distancing is to limit face-to-face contact to decrease the spread of illness among people in community settings. People who are living in homeless shelters are struggling to practice social distancing as it is impossible in homeless shelters (Carpenter 1). It is hard for the homeless to practice social distancing in the shelters since they are small and not a lot of space for them to be six feet apart. I believe most shelters have multiple bunk beds, so they can sleep a lot of people and fill the shelters up. They should open up more shelters or make a way for low income people or homeless to afford housing and be in a house. 

Helping the homeless with housing is not enough but engaging with them and listening to their story. Peter Resnik, a high-powered attorney, talked to two homeless men, Rob and Chris. He learned that Chris loved reading, so he provided him a book. This book was passed along the homeless community. Peter Resnik learned of this and then decided to make an official book club. This book club helped the homeless men and women share their thoughts on literature and their lives. An article from Wbur News, called A Book Club Whose Best Stories Aren’t Written Down It is common, Tibbets says, for the conversations in the book club to turn to real-life experiences of members. They have read about two dozen books together now hanging from Emerson essays to O. Henry short stories. But the books are secondary, Tibbets says. What’s so important about the club, he says, is that it’s members finally feel like someone cares what he or she thinks (Lisa Tobin, 2010). This quote shows the reader that giving homeless people a voice can change their outlook on life and can make them feel good about themselves. While being homeless and begging for money to stay alive can be dehumanizing, having someplace to voice your opinions and feel understood can mean everything. This also gives these people a chance to share their life stories and make friends as well. Also this kind of program can really help homeless people feel like they are being heard and that they matter. 

The Housing First approach and the book club both have something in common. While they are both unconventional ways of looking at helping the homeless, they still help the homeless by giving them moral support. The Housing First approach gives the homeless moral support by giving them a home while they tackle their mental and physical problems. The book club gives the homeless moral support by giving them somewhere to speak and let their voices, ideas, and opinions be heard. Both the Housing First approach and The Book Club are great ways to start tackling the homelessness problem. They do not only help the homeless get a home but they also help them feel heard by others as well. By using these strategies we cannot only help the homeless be heard, but we can also help them get permanent homes.

“According to HUD data, 8,011 people were homeless on a single night in San Francisco last year. While St. Anthony’s shelter can accommodate 60 guests at a time, the organization has had to put a cap on the number of intakes, in order to alleviate transmission. “We have about 40 guests now (Salvadore 1).”  In this article St. Anthony’s shelter talks about how they can hold up to 60 guests but since COVID-19 started, they only take in 40 guests so they are able to practice social distancing.  The families that come in together are able to stay in the same room together instead of being separate. St. Anthony’s shelter is taking a lot of precaution, they won’t accept any more guests because a lot of the guests have acute health conditions. Overall I think a lot of shelters and housing should consider doing what St. Anthony’s shelter is doing during this pandemic to keep their community and homeless safe as possible, and well taken care of. 

“The coronavirus health emergency could wreak even more havoc in low-income communities of color. African Americans, for example, suffer from disproportionately higher rates of chronic conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes, and infection with the COVID-19 virus on top of those pre-existing conditions can be serious (Williams 3).” I choose this quote because they are trying to find the safest way for them to open up more shelter for the homeless even with covid-19 going on. They are willing to open more but the safety hazard concerns a lot of people. Homeless African Americans are more at risk just like the elderly are.

“It has never been more clear that housing is health care ( Carpenter 2).” A lot of citizens do not understand that housing is essential and a part of the health care. Housing has been linked to preventing long-term health problems and promoting healthy, productive lives. It often determines who has access to transit, grocery stores that sell fresh produce, jobs that pay living wages, safe parks and good schools. We all want a quality, affordable home in a good neighborhood. Having your own home is clearly an aspiration for our society. Houses are more than physical structures providing shelter. They are homes – where we bring up our families, socialise with friends, our own space where we can unwind, keep our possessions safe and take refuge from the rest of the world. People who are living on the streets are not utilizing health care (Carpenter 1). Definition. Health Care Utilization is the quantification or description of the use of services by persons for the purpose of preventing and curing health problems, promoting maintenance of health and well-being, or obtaining information about one's health status and prognosis. People who live on the streets can not utilize the health care because they don’t have benefits that can allow them to take advantage of the health care services they need. Health care services they can take advantage of are things such as hospital care, prescription drug coverage, pregnancy and childbirth, mental health services, therapy and more. 

CONCLUSION

 In conclusion, those who are suffering from homelessness deserve to have full access to physical health, mental health and low in-come housing or shelter at all times. During my research I discovered that coronavirus also known as COVID-19 is a deadly disease that can be a transferable virus from one person to another person. It started off in China in the late 2019, and sadly it has become a pandemic that has killed over 250K people worldwide. Homelessness is at a higher risk since most live outside.  The virus is similar to the flu, the symptoms are coughing, shortness of break and the major one is high fever. Since the virus has spread so quickly the only way to protect ourselves and others, is to make sure we are taking care of ourselves first and foremost. Meaning taking care of your physical health , mental health, making sure you have shelter, and lastly wear a mask while practicing social distancing. 

Works Cited 

Carpenter, Zoe. “Homeless Amid Covid.” Nation, vol. 310, no. 12, Apr. 2020, pp. 4–5.    
  EBSCOhost,     

   search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=142527352&site=ehost-live.

Park, Alice, et al. “As Coronavirus Spreads, So Do Questions.” TIME Magazine, vol. 195, no.  

   9/10, Mar. 2020, pp. 13–16. EBSCOhost, 

   search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=142094827&site=ehost-live.

Salvadore, Sarah. “Pandemic Hinders Shelter and Aid: Virus Forces Catholic Agencies to   

   Scale Back Services for the Homeless.” National Catholic Reporter, vol. 56, no. 16, 15 

   May 2020, pp. 17–18. EBSCOhost, 

   search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=143132464&site=ehost-live.

Surowiecki, J. (2017, June 19). Home Free? Retrieved October 03, 2018, from

   https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/09/22/home-free

Tobin, L. (2010, November 25). A Book Club Whose Best Stories Aren’t Written Down.

   Retrieved October 03, 2018, from 

   http://www.wbur.org/news/2010/11/25/homeless-book-club

Williams, Joseph P. “Coronavirus Could Crush the Poor, Advocates Warn.” U.S. News & World 

   Report - The Report, Mar. 2020, pp. 9–12. EBSCOhost, 

   search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=142379809&site=ehost-live.

Testing and PPE usefulness during this crisis

Her’d group

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1A2N9l3B6LqCAKT43M8UmMrBPaGdQN

Students' support in mental health during time crisis

Mental health among students is still the most concerning in society today. Numerous studies have shown that crisis events negatively affect the mental health of children ( Imran 2). Given the current situation of the pandemic, students are a top concern because every year, students' mental health statistics are alarming, with 27% of college students being diagnosed with depression. 57.7% of students feel overly anxious; 39 % of students deal with some mental illness, 64% of students dropout of college because of mental health. College students in the United States decide to seek professional help on mental health issues, which are estimated for only 9%." ( Vuleta). Recently, the pandemic has caused hundreds of millions of students around the world to leave school, and online learning has disrupted education and daily activities. Although online learning helps some students keep up with the program during the crisis, it is also problematic. For some students, distance learning can affect mental health. According to mental health expert Odile Thiang, studying at home can affect a child's psychology. Learning without a daily schedule and social activities can significantly affect students when they have to stay home with their parents in times of stress ( Hollingsworth). Children who study at home may have a negative mentality, which is evidenced by many studies, showing that students who have to miss school due to severe illness or not meeting friends will suffer the same effect. ( Hollingsworth). These sudden changes can lead some students to feel overwhelmed and helpless. As mentioned in the previous section, losing a parent's job also negatively affects children's behaviour. According to Conger et al, the economic hardship causes parental stress and depression and can lead to less parenting and negatively affects a child's adjustment and behaviour ( qtd. in Hill). Significant changes to their habits with the physical and social isolation in addition to high parental stress levels has caused them to experience fear and uncertainty. Recognizing their emotions and reactions is essential to address their needs in times of crisis adequately ( Imran 2).

Communities and organizations have provided students with expenses, tools to support their studies, living, and helping them to avoid anxiety. Also, experts state that communication and connection are coping and healing tools for students during the time crisis ( Beachboard). Schools facilitate and form a group of tutors to help students complete courses during the pandemic crisis such as Nettutor - the major online tutoring service or online mental health counselling for students, “Keep.meSAFE” when face-to-face services are suspended due to recent pandemic( Whitley). Communication allows instructors to better understand students' concerns, feedback, and trauma. The Government has also provided emergency aid to families to solve financial problems ( U.S. Department of Education). At the same time, there are several resources available on campus to help you cope with student stress, providing students with the best study environment to ensure health safety and efficiency for their students. Several world health agencies, including WHO, UNICEF, AACAP, IACAPAP and many others have published guidelines and information to help parents protect the psychological health of their children ( Imran 4 ). It is only a temporary solution. Students' mental health will continue to occur as the crisis continues. Recently, protesters opposed social isolation. Some epidemiologists predict such protests could cause an increase in Covid-19 cases ( Gabbatt). The more the pandemic develops,  the worse the student's life and psyche are affected.

Community Engagement in times of COVID-19

Community Engagement          ⣴

    ▞                       in times             ▝

           of   COVID-19     ⣦              ⢷                        

◢

In contrast, many Americans will say that undocumented immigrants are a waste of resources. They might say that instead of helping them to get through this pandemic, the government should focus all of their resources on helping “their own'', and provide Americans with more money instead of handing it out to immigrants. Some Americans might think that undocumented immigrants should not be in the country in the first place, and instead of testing an essential immigrant worker, they should give Americans more health resources. While for some people this might sound right, undocumented immigrants are not here asking for a handout; they are not here to asking for food stamps and a free clinic. They are here fighting for the opportunities they were denied back home. They want a better future for themselves and their families. They want to contribute to this country. Immigrants pay a variety of taxes (sales tax, income tax, property tax, etc.), and while they pay taxes to the government, they don’t receive any benefits (Lipman, 5). Undocumented immigrants’ contributions to the social security fund are most important since Americans are having less children, meaning that future generations will make less contributions to the fund; reducing future payment benefits. 

▛ This pandemic has been very shocking for all of us. Many small businesses have been shutting down leaving a lot of employees without a job; mainly undocumented immigrants. We can all agree that immigrants are essential for the economy of this country as they do all the hard work that anybody else does not want to do, and no matter how hard the situation is, they will still do it. Despite the difficult situation of COVID-19, undocumented immigrants do not receive any support from the government since they are not citizens of the United States. Most of them are still working because they cannot afford “staying at home safely,” and they do not have any other way to obtain money to pay for the bills. We understand none of us ever imagined this type of situation where we have to stay at home as much as possible, with no school, no work, no going out and wearing masks every time we need to go out to be safe.

We all are struggling, but for those who came to this country to find a better life opportunity for them and their families, it is not fair to not receive any help all along in this pandemic.  Undocumented immigrants have done so much for this country that they should have all the support that anybody else gets. These people, those who have been the pillar of this country, deserve to feel safe as much as everybody else does during this difficult time.  ◤