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When you see a hallway, change direction
Giedrė (name changed – aut. past.) became ill with coronavirus on December 3. Although he initially didn’t feel any symptoms, after 10 days he lost his sense of smell and taste, he developed a runny nose. As soon as he became ill, he immediately reported to the workplace and informed his colleagues.
“It just came to our attention then. Some did not respond fully and others were really too emotional. We even had to reassure one of the three colleagues, because she was very angry because she had contact with me when the shift changed. I tried to explain to her that we were keeping the distance, we were with safeguards, but the anxiety did not leave her for long. Although I received calls from co-workers asking me how I felt, they were afraid that I would return to work soon, they insisted that I continue with my work disability and they asked me if I would repeat the PCR test, ”says Giedrė.
Photo from 123RF.com / Working during quarantine
The woman, who returned to work in late December, admits that she immediately felt psychological pressure from her colleagues. Cowards began to avoid co-workers, and managers even indicated that it was better not to eat in the same room with an employee with COVID-19, to try to get around it and not communicate.
“The rooms I have been in are constantly ventilated with open windows. After all, the windows have a ventilation function, it is not necessary to open the entire window … There were some who changed the direction of their walk, seeing that they would have to meet me in the corridor. I keep getting questions about why they closed me down, because I could still stay home. Although I no longer have any symptoms, they ask me how I know that I am no longer sick and that I will not infect others, ”says Giedrė.
The executives even indicated that it is better not to eat in the same room with an employee with COVID-19, to try to avoid it and not communicate.
Giedrė does not hide the fact that the annoyances of her colleagues annoy her and make her uncomfortable. However, he doesn’t even try to fight the comments of his coworkers, he only tries to explain that he can no longer infect others.
“There are all kinds of emotions. I will not hide, sometimes I get angry, but then I think that people are just scared and do not know how to react correctly. It is very sad when a person is discriminated against after an illness and made to feel like a traveling guild.
It’s hard to fight people when they run from you. I try to explain that I am no more dangerous than the others, I have been disabled for almost a month, I do not feel any symptoms, I keep my distance, I wear protective equipment. Sometimes you don’t even want to explain more, because then you get caught up in the discussion “how do you know you’re not sick anymore?” And you enter a vicious circle, “says Giedrė.
According to Giedrė, this attitude of people should be found not only at work, but also in the kindergarten where your child goes. From other parents, the woman kept asking if she would really take her son to kindergarten this month or a generation test.
Raised the condition: either work from home or a paid exam
Jolita (name changed to – aut. past.) got mildly ill from the virus in November. Colleagues were immediately notified of the illness, but co-workers who were in contact were particularly scared.
“While I was sick, I received many messages, everyone wondered how I felt or was seriously ill, he asked me to tell me the symptoms,” Jolita recalls. – I do not hear comments now, but both family members and colleagues do not want to communicate. I’m afraid I can still infect them. “
I took an antibody test, trying to show that I can no longer infect others, but all to no avail
The woman feels the most pressure at work where the manager immediately said: either you will work from home or you will have to take a paid exam to return.
“The manager said that now we are afraid of you, we are not waiting for work. I still work remotely. I did an antibody test, trying to show that I can no longer infect others, but it was all to no avail. I don’t know how long we all fear, “says Jolita.
Although the situation is unpleasant, Jolita does not feel the anger of such a reaction from those around her. What worries a woman most is the uncertainty of when loved ones will reconnect to communicate with her family.
“I understand them in part. I think there is a lack of information about healthy people. A sick family member took the new test, it was negative, but the housewives did not believe that he thought it was wrong. Everyone is afraid of him. everyone, ”says Jolita.
The aggressor is discriminated against due to ignorance.
According to psychologist I. Leonavičiūtė, people lack knowledge about the new rapidly mutating coronavirus, so, fearing infection, they avoid those who have recently become ill. Residents are also alarmed by information that often changes about when a person is considered healthy.
“Anxiety is increased by the fact that it is currently not recommended to repeat the test after the virus has been transmitted, so it is not clear if the person is really healthy and safe for those around them.
During the first wave, the second week was considered the most dangerous, and it is now claimed that the infection is more likely to infect those around before symptoms appear and in the first days after they appear. In addition, the information is not always presented in an understandable way or simply fades into the background of the number of patients ”, explains the specialist.
Photo from personal archive / Inga Leonavičiūtė
Although people have yet to introduce themselves to I. Leonavičiūtė specifically for this reason, she says that the stories about how the sick get sick, listen to those around them and are shared by clients.
“Among other difficulties, customers are concerned about the coronavirus, what could happen if they get sick, how quickly they can return to a normal rhythm of life. And if they are sick, they count the reactions of those around them when they say they have already had the virus, or the requests of relatives not to notify neighbors, relatives or other acquaintances, “says the psychologist.
According to I. Leonavičiūtė, avoiding sick people can make them feel rejected, misunderstood, angry, resentful and the start of conflict.
“It may seem to the victim that those around them are not interested in scientific information about the virus, they are too concerned. To prevent this from happening, it is important to understand that the uncertainty and novelty of a pandemic situation is more or less a concern for everyone. Not everyone is capable of separating reliable information from unreliable information, they have adaptive coping strategies, tolerate uncertainty ”, emphasizes the specialist.
It is important that a sick person does not start to resent the behavior of those around him and tries to react calmly. The psychologist advises learning to cope with a pandemic situation and adapt to changing circumstances.
“The basis for such behavior by others is fears and fears about the health of oneself and those of loved ones. The desire to protect can be further enhanced by belonging to a risk group due to age, comorbidities and coexistence of parents. Excessively fearful people can be provided reliable sources of additional information when a person is considered healthy, when they are more likely to infect others. It is important to understand that this situation is new and challenging for everyone, but it won’t last forever, ”says I. Leonavičiūtė.
The basis for such behavior of those around them are fears and fears about their own health and the health of their loved ones.
When asked what they think about the instructions of workplace managers when workers are told not to eat in the same room they eat after being infected with a coronavirus, the psychologist says that every behavior has a purpose. However, they are likely to lack reliable, science-based information.
“In doing so, the employer seeks to protect himself and other employees from possible illnesses. We can help him by indicating the sources of information, offering to take the recommendations of the World Health Organization, contact the NVSC, doctors,” advises the specialist.
According to I. Leonavičiūtė, discrimination against people with disabilities will depend on the inclination of people to filter the information about COVID-19 that reaches them.
“It is likely that as the number of patients increases, more and more reliable information about the virus becomes available and people become more interested in it,” says the psychologist.
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