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TexasTowelie

(116,556 posts)
Tue Jan 5, 2021, 07:10 AM Jan 2021

Three-quarters of infected Memphis workers remained on the job after testing positive for coronaviru

A study by health officials in Shelby County, Tennessee found that more than three-quarters of infected people during the month of November continued to work at least one day after testing positive. The seat of Shelby County is Memphis, the 28th largest city in the country.

The study was based off interviews with 303 people, all of whom had tested positive for coronavirus. “We want to look at specifically how many days people worked while they potentially were infectious to others,” the Health Department Director for Shelby County, Tennessee, Dr. Alisa Haushalter, said. From this group, 76 percent stated that they continued to go back to work after being diagnosed positive with COVID-19. Of this group, 45 percent worked about one day before quarantining, 29 percent worked for two days and 10 percent worked for three days.

In reporting the study, the Memphis Fox affiliate cited local medical expert Dr. Jon McCullers, who told the station that “[the] data shows that warehouses and factories are the most likely places where employees continue to clock into work even after a day or two from when they contracted the virus.”

According to its official COVID-19 dashboard, Shelby County has had 67,198 positive cases and 891 deaths. The positivity rate in the county is 9.55 percent, indicating that the county’s testing capacity is being stretched beyond its limits. According to a separate report, almost 2,200 COVID-19 contacts have been quarantined due to exposure since December 15. As of August, there were only 1,700 contact tracers for the entire state of Tennessee, according to the state Commissioner of Health.

Read more: https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2021/01/04/shel-j04.html

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Three-quarters of infected Memphis workers remained on the job after testing positive for coronaviru (Original Post) TexasTowelie Jan 2021 OP
Maybe if employers didn't have punitive sick time policies Freddie Jan 2021 #1
When I worked in a warehouse, they took temp daily and if anyone tested positive... TigressDem Jan 2021 #2
Ambulances waiting up to 12 hrs to drop off patients SheltieLover Jan 2021 #3
My son was demoted for taking quarantine. Lars39 Jan 2021 #4

Freddie

(9,686 posts)
1. Maybe if employers didn't have punitive sick time policies
Tue Jan 5, 2021, 07:14 AM
Jan 2021

Like getting “written up” or worse if you use sick time, this wouldn’t happen. Please don’t blame sick employees for trying to keep their jobs.

TigressDem

(5,125 posts)
2. When I worked in a warehouse, they took temp daily and if anyone tested positive...
Tue Jan 5, 2021, 07:47 AM
Jan 2021

Everyone they contacted at work was monitored to make sure no symptoms and verified that non-contact protocol followed, ie 6ft and masked at all times. We had people wiping down surfaces all throughout the day. But that was MN not TN,



https://covidactnow.org/us/tennessee-tn/county/shelby_county?s=1485441


The map on the above page is ALL red and deep red




SheltieLover

(59,504 posts)
3. Ambulances waiting up to 12 hrs to drop off patients
Tue Jan 5, 2021, 08:41 AM
Jan 2021
https://wreg.com/news/ambulances-left-waiting-hours-to-drop-off-patients-at-memphis-hospitals-firefighters-union-says/

If we had a real pResident & functional senate through this crisis, emplpyees would not be forced to work, spreading this disease.

The other part of the equation, though, is the crowd who will not wear masks, wear ineffective (loosly knitted fabric), and wear masks, with nose uncovered. The most frequent excuses I hear is "I'm a big, strong man & I can go to work sick / don't need no mask to protect me from no little flu virus," and "I ain't gonna let no little virus get me down," and with dismissive laughter, "oh the virus, I'm so over that."

So plantation mentality & practices does live on among employers for sure, but there is a general dismissiveness with regard to covid.

Truly like living in a nightmare.
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