In times of chaos, and an overwhelming amount of information, consuming consistent and accurate facts are crucial.
By Amanda Waddell
The American Red Cross has always been a factual, unbiased source, and is committed to keeping up to date with the magnitude of the COVID-19 pandemic, while still assuring the public that we are responding to local disasters such as home fires and offering assistance in other community catastrophes. This commitment leads us to look to our expert volunteers and leaders in their fields for excellent communication surrounding their various roles.
Lynda Monsey, RN, NP, and Red Cross of Colorado and Wyoming Disaster Health Services Program Lead, was recently a source that we reached out to for some answers:
Q: What can you suggest as a way to handle the shelter-in-place order to keep our families safe and healthy?
As a culture and as an organization, we have historically divided the physical health & safety from the psychological, spiritual, and emotional side of our existence. We know now, human beings are holistic things – and the mind cannot be separated from the body. The social contacts we maintain via all the social media available including a plain old telephone are critical for both physical and psychological health. But I am narrowing my response to the physical this time….
We are now under that stay-at-home order per our governor and staying safe and healthy is everyone’s job including kids. The precautions and safety procedures from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE) have been well publicized over many media outlets, so I’m not going to repeat these, only that they should be followed.
Q: What can we do as a community to promote safety during this COVID- 19 pandemic?
Be good role models for ‘good expedition behavior’. What does this mean? The thing that derails most mountaineering expeditions isn’t stuff like avalanches or falls – it’s poor expedition behavior. People being selfish, narcissistic, reckless, etc. When you think the rules apply to everyone but you – that has a ripple effect and can negatively impact those around you. Governor Polis alluded to this surprising lack of compliance in his briefing on Friday (3/27). These rules we have now – they are for the community (which is a set of interdependent individuals) to work together to promote their collective safety and good health. The epidemiological data we have now does show that social distancing and other measures do actually work and can decrease the transmission of pathogens.
Be a helper (a la Mr. Rogers). Look for those opportunities to assist and protect more vulnerable members such as elderly, living alone individuals. Don’t hoard needed supplies and medications.
If you are healthy, not in a high -risk group, and have the necessary skills – volunteer for doing childcare for hospital workers, grocery store workers, and first responders; volunteer at food banks; find what activities your place of worship is doing for the community.
Q. What are you doing at home to enact your own preparedness and health & safety?
First, since I am in a higher risk category – I have the husband doing most of the grocery shopping. He is a high school science teacher and former EMT so I’m not worried that he won’t observe the precautions. We made sure to have any medications filled and did a sufficient but not hoarding grocery shopping before the stay-at-home order.
My own preparedness as the Chapter Health Services Lead and the Regional Lead, was and is staying informed – staying in touch with my administration, my team here in the Denver-Metro Area, and the Regional Health Services Team Leads. The situation is evolving daily. I am also receiving information from our community and government partners especially in public health.
Q. What is the message that the Red Cross would like to send from the Disaster Health Services?
Our mission is to assure the public that the Red Cross is still responding to local disasters such as home fires and offering assistance while maintaining those precautions such as social distancing.
American Red Cross Updates
- The Red Cross is working closely with public health officials to ensure the safety of local communities and our workforce while providing for those in need.
- Due to this coronavirus outbreak, the Red Cross is providing relief services after home fires virtually and by remote work. For a family who has lost everything after a fire, we can still provide financial assistance as well as other resources like health and mental health support over the phone.
- Even in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, hospital patients still need lifesaving blood, neighbors still need relief and care after home fires, and military families still need support. Helping during crises is at the heart of what we do, and it’s who we are. Our Red Cross workforce is dedicated to serving communities and carrying out our mission.
- If you have experienced a disaster and need extra support due to the new fears and stresses you may be feeling during this time, call the free, confidential SAMHSA Disaster Distress Helpline at 800-985-5990 or text TalkWithUs to 66746 to connect with a trained crisis counselor.
Trusted Resources
- You can find more information on COVID-19 safety here. For the latest information, please visit the CDC website at cdc.gov/covid19.
- For Wyoming specific information, please visit the Wyoming Department of Health.
- For Colorado specific information, please visit the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
- If you live outside the United States, health and safety tips can be found through the World Health Organization and by following your local Red Cross or Red Crescent society’s social media channels.