How to give back to health care workers

From Metro

Millions of people across the globe donate to charities or volunteer as a means of bolstering their communities and helping the less fortunate. Such help is valuable no matter when it’s offered, but giving back in 2020 has proven to be an especially necessary endeavor.
As a global pandemic took hold during the winter of 2019-20, millions of people found themselves battling a potentially deadly virus, while millions more found themselves out of work as the economy came crashing to a halt. Health care workers have been on the front lines in the fight against the COVID-19 virus for months on end. Stressful working environments and concerns about bringing the virus home and potentially infecting their families have made the challenges of fighting the pandemic even tougher for health care workers. Supporting such workers in these uncertain times can be a great way for people to show just how much they appreciate the extraordinary efforts of doctors, nurses, EMTs, and others who continue to confront COVID-19 every day.
• Keep it simple. Efforts to give back to health care workers need not be extraordinary. Simple gestures like preparing a weeknight meal for health care workers and their families, offering to babysit on a weekend afternoon or tackle a few chores around the house can help exhausted health care workers catch their breath.
• Donate more than just your time and effort. An actively engaged general public can reassure health care workers that they’re not alone in the fight against COVID-19 and other potentially deadly viruses and diseases. While blood is not used to treat COVID-19, various health organizations, including the U.S. Surgeon General’s Office, have expressed concerns that hospitals will not have enough blood on hand to treat accident victims and sick people who need blood to survive. Social distancing measures may be keeping potential blood donors away, but the American Red Cross is urging people to continue donating blood so health care workers can meet the needs of patient care.
• Support efforts to procure more funding for hospitals. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, both the American Hospital Association and the American Nurses Association have expressed hospitals’ need for more financial support as they continue to battle the virus. By supporting such efforts and encouraging others to do the same, people looking to give back can send a message to health care workers that they’re supported and that their voices are being heard.
Health care workers continue to confront the COVID-19 virus every day. Giving back to these valued members of the community is a great way to show just how much their efforts are appreciated.