COVID-19 has made us all more concerned about our health. People have become more careful about their hygiene and take various precautions not to get infected. It is common nowadays to visit an online pharmacy and provide yourself with sanitizers, masks, latex gloves, antiviral pills etc., without going out. Most of us try to stay home, work remotely, and practice social distancing. However, we also need to think about those who cannot stop going to their workplace and whose devotion is critical nowadays — healthcare workers.

In order to make their difficult task to save other people’s lives at least a bit easier, you should take all the necessary steps to help them. We have prepared a list of actions that are not too difficult even for young people, and at the same time, are very beneficial in improving the fight against the coronavirus spreading.


Donate personal protective equipment properly

We can see lots of requests for personal protective equipment all across social media. No matter how small your donation is, it always makes a difference, so do not hesitate to make it. However, you should keep in mind that hospitals are extremely busy nowadays, and volunteers do all the work that does not require medical knowledge and experience. For this reason, instead of contacting your local healthcare workers, search for a proper organization that takes care of collecting personal protective equipment and delivering it to hospitals.

Make sure if going to the Emergency Department is essential

Despite the pandemic spreading, people still have accidents, injuries, or seizures, and they also catch other diseases. Therefore, one of the hardest challenges that the healthcare staff face is to take care of all the patients who need their help, especially in the Emergency Department. In such difficult times, you should always make sure that you actually need urgent medical attention. If it is not that serious, consider a regular doctor appointment instead, freeing up space and people to take care of those patients whose lives are really in danger.

Call the local coronavirus helpline before going in

Even if you suspect you may have COVID-19, you should not go to the Emergency Department straight away. First, contact your local coronavirus helpline and find out the procedure established by your local authorities, in order to reduce the risk of infecting others. If the healthcare workers are informed in advance, they can adequately prepare for potential exposure to COVID-19, and also protect the patient from unnecessary exposure.

Ask for a routine appointment online

For people with chronic diseases, routine appointments with their doctors are necessary to keep them in good shape. However, you should ask your dispensary if a video call is possible instead of a personal consultation. If your visit is basically just a conversation on your recent well-being and the analysis of your blood or urine test results, it can take place online and protect both the patient and the caregiver from potential exposure to the disease.

Stay home

Keep in mind the message that healthcare workers often post with their pictures: ‘I stayed at work for you, you stay home for us’. It is not just a phase, and it should be taken seriously. It is understandable that you may miss going out, visiting your favourite places, meeting your family and friends, etc. However, in this particular situation, we should all follow the strict instructions on social distancing in order to be able to come back to our regular life and routines as soon as possible.

Show your support and gratitude

If you know any healthcare worker personally, thank them for their essential work and express your support for them in these difficult times. Apart from that, you can post a public gratitude message on your social media, so that they could know you are thinking of them. Remember that many people are giving extra hours to take care of all the additional patients properly, despite all the hardships everyone now faces. You can help in numerous ways too, such as by getting necessary food and hygienic supplies, or assisting with childcare. If you can offer them any help with these issues, please do it — it really means a lot nowadays.

Make a financial contribution

Aside from donating masks, sanitizers, and other essentials, you can also give at least a small amount of money towards the coronavirus research. As a young person, you may not earn that much, but take into consideration that the sooner the vaccine will be invented, the sooner we will regain our freedom and safety. Apart from that, you can support your local foundations and hospitals that struggle with fighting COVID-19, so that they could get all the necessary materials and equipment, and pay their staff appropriately.

To sum up, there are many actions that can be taken by young people in order to help healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. If we all take these small steps, we will be a bit closer to the end of this disturbing and stressful situation. Remember that most of the caregivers do not quit their jobs, although it is extremely tough for them to keep up with this work. They are doing their utmost to help as many patients as possible and to stop the virus from spreading. Therefore, you should do your best to support them as well!

 

Image by Tumisu from Pixabay