Nearly half of Americans returning to workplaces after months of stay-at-home COVID-19 restrictions fear they will catch the disease, despite the widespread availability of masks, gowns, sanitizers and other protective measures, a new Gallup poll showed on Monday
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 08th June, 2020) Nearly half of Americans returning to workplaces after months of stay-at-home COVID-19 restrictions fear they will catch the disease, despite the widespread availability of masks, gowns, sanitizers and other protective measures, a new Gallup poll showed on Monday.
"Even as workers may recognize the economic pressure on their employer to reopen, many also fear for their own personal safety. Nearly half are concerned - either very (13%) or moderately (33%) - about being exposed to the coronavirus at work. At the same time, 29% are not too concerned and 25% not at all concerned," a press release explaining the report said.
When asked about specific actions to protect workers, 69 percent of returning employees said employers are continuously adapting new or more frequent cleaning practices, 59 percent said employers "always" provided protective equipment and 54 percent said six-foot social distancing measures were always enforced, the release said.
An additional 20 percent to 33 percent say each of these steps is happening "sometimes" at work, the release said.
Symptom checking measures, such as temperature checks and interviews, were the least likely to be implemented, with 39 percent reporting their employers never took such steps.
Scientific evidence thus far casts some doubt on the effectiveness of symptom checks because many - if not most - people who spread COVID-19 to others are asymptomatic and unaware they have the disease.
