We All Play A Role Preventing COVID-19 Spread
Team,
During this national emergency, we all play a role preventing the spread of COVID-19.
You are responsible for knowing the signs of COVID-19, and staying home if you are ill or suspect you’ve been exposed. This duty also extends to recognizing symptoms in your family, friends and co-workers – if you suspect someone is ill, you must speak up and say something.
If a co-worker displays symptoms – a fever, dry cough, difficulty breathing – take immediate action. While maintaining social distancing, respectfully approach them, let them know you are concerned and care, and remind them of the importance of staying home when ill and following the proper notification process. Emphasize how quickly this can spread – in Nebraska, two employees testing positive required the quarantine of another 47 employees; in Iowa, one employee testing positive quarantined another 11.
If a co-worker displays obvious symptoms but refuses to acknowledge it, or if you feel uncomfortable approaching them, call your local manager or Occupational Health Nurse or the Nurses Hotline at 402-544-7011.
Please remember, simply being in a building or staying in a hotel where someone has been ill is not enough to contract the virus. COVID-19 is spread through direct contact – being in close proximity for more than 10 minutes, being closer than 6 feet in an enclosed space. Our best defense continues to be social distancing, staying home when ill and practicing proper hygiene.
In these unprecedented times, we must live our Courage to Care commitment – take action to keep yourself and others safe by fixing unsafe situations, addressing unsafe behavior and stopping the line. In turn, have the courage to accept the same actions from your co-workers.
We’re in this together.
Dr. Laura Gillis
Union Pacific Chief Medical Officer