These are strange times. How many times have you heard that in recent weeks? This innocuous statement has become a colloquial way of acknowledging the global COVID-19 pandemic – “strange” becomes a euphemism for “terrifying”, something that’s easier to say because it sidesteps our acute anxiety while still addressing the fact that, yes, these times are messed up. There are other changes to our language. We end emails with ‘Stay healthy!’ and ‘Be well!’ and we mean it. We use new phrases like ‘social distancing’, ‘flattening the curve’, and ‘self-isolation’, when we never did just a few short months ago. These small language changes seem like the least of our recent behavior adjustments.
There’s an often-used Fred Rogers quote that is meant to comfort preschoolers during times of tragedy:
“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’ To this day, especially in times of ‘disaster,’ I remember my mother’s words and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers—so many caring people in this world.”
While this quote is dismissed by some as an empty consolation meme, in these times I like to take a more positive approach. It’s a great reminder that we can readjust our focus on the meaningful ways that people and organizations are stepping up during this pandemic.
At Cority, we have some fantastic customers who are doing their part to help. Here are just a few of them:
- 3M has doubled its global output of N95 respirators to an annual rate of over 1.1 billion per year, or nearly 100 million per month.
- Bayer is donating to the U.S. government 3 million tablets of the drug Resochin (chloroquine phosphate), a drug that shows potential in treating patients with COVID-19 infection.
- General Motors is partnering with Ventec Life Systems to scale up production of respiratory products.
- General Electric increased their manufacturing capacity and output of equipment – including CTs, ultrasound devices, mobile X-ray systems, patient monitors and ventilators – important in the diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19 patients.
- Siemens Healthineers has done extraordinary work in making their imaging equipment available where it is most needed, and are working on other innovations to provide infected and sick people with quick and reliable diagnosis and care.
And we expect more and more examples like these in the coming weeks and months.
It’s not only big corporations that are making a meaningful impact. Some of the most important helpers are reading this post right now: you. By staying home, by practicing social distancing, we are helping in an essential way. Staying home allows the frontline heroes of this pandemic – from the healthcare professionals to the grocery store workers – provide essential services with less risk of infection, while limiting the spread of infection overall. For once, we are helping by literally doing nothing. We should commend each other for that.
Stay healthy! Be well!
Learn More About COVID-19
Stay informed of the latest updates and best practices from our occupational health and safety experts by subscribing to our newsletter and visiting our COVID-19 Resource Center:
