Learning
Coronavirus Is Keeping Me Home From Work. Will I Get Paid?
As the novel coronavirus continues to march across the country, for many workers getting sick is only part of what worries them. What about getting paid if they are ill or have to be quarantined? Congressional Democrats are pushing for legislation that would provide paid leave for those who are not being compensated while out of work because of sickness, quarantine or family needs resulting from the coronavirus outbreak. Republicans and members of the administration have said they also are open to negotiations on a proposal. Currently, 10 states and the District of Columbia have laws that require some paid sick leave, according to the National Partnership for Women & Families. In addition, nearly two dozen cities and counties have paid sick leave laws. more »
Travelers from Countries with Widespread Sustained Transmission of COVID-19 Arriving in the US; CDC is Working to Implement After-travel Health Precautions and EPA Disinfectants for Use Against SARS-CoV-2
CDC Advice:
Take your temperature with a thermometer two times a day and monitor for fever. Also watch for cough or trouble breathing.
Stay home and avoid contact with others. Do not go to work or school for this 14-day period. Discuss your work situation with your employer before returning to work.
Do not take public transportation, taxis, or ride-shares during the time you are practicing social distancing.
Avoid crowded places (such as shopping centers and movie theaters) and limit your activities in public.
Keep your distance from others (about 6 feet or 2 meters). more »
Women Firefighters Face High Exposure to Toxic ‘Forever Chemicals’ Known to Interfere with Immune and Endocrine Functions and Breast Development
In 2012, Lt. Heather Buren, along with colleagues from the San Francisco Firefighters Cancer Prevention Foundation (SFFCPF) noticed an alarming trend: In that year alone, five female firefighters were diagnosed with breast cancer. “We started asking questions, wondering what was up,” said Buren, co-author of the paper. “Cancer wasn’t new to our profession, but for the first time, I was thinking about cancer as an occupational disease: Was fighting fire somehow a contributing factor in my friends getting sick? Were our repeated exposures to toxic burning chemicals on the fire ground a factor to the high breast cancer rates among SFFD women firefighters?” more »
*GAO SCIENCE & TECH SPOTLIGHT: Coronaviruses: "They can cause respiratory issues, such as pneumonia, and are believed to be one cause of the common cold"
What is it? While the outbreak of COVID-19 in China has brought the term coronavirus into daily usage, coronaviruses can vary in severity. They can cause respiratory issues, such as pneumonia, and are believed to be one cause of the common cold. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most people will be infected by a coronavirus at some point in their lifetimes. As of March 2020, seven coronaviruses have been identified that can cause illness in humans. Most infections result in mild to moderate symptoms, such as runny nose, headache, cough, sore throat, fever, and a run-down feeling. Coronaviruses are most commonly transmitted by coughing, sneezing, person-to-person contact, and touching objects that have viral particles on them, according to CDC. The best prevention is washing hands with soap and avoiding contact with people who are sick or work in quarantine areas. Current treatment methods are limited, and research is being fast-tracked to develop a vaccine against existing and emerging coronaviruses. more »