Im a home health caregiver. I go to clients’ houses. It’s very hard with the clients. You have to tell them wash your hands, sanitize your hands, do like this, do like that. It’s very hard. And then when I come back from work, I need to clean everything, sanitize everything, make sure I don’t bring anything to my home.
The sanitizer, it’s always in my hand. I’m wearing gloves and a mask all over the place. So where I got it, I don’t know. I don’t know.
Maybe the daycare. Maybe that’s where I got it. My son goes to preschool, and just after their summer break started they sent an email that one of the teachers had COVID-19 and they cleaned everything. My son, two days later, he had a fever, 102, 103. And of course he’s close to me, he sleeps with me, he’s hugging me. And then he was fine. And then I had, like allergies or a little sinus. That’s how it started.
I’m so careful everywhere else. But my son! It could happen to anybody. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. But I don’t want to get anyone else sick.
The doctor told me maybe I am at the middle or the end of the corona, but that makes me sad. Because maybe I had it before and I didn’t know.
I’m so careful everywhere else. But my son! It could happen to anybody. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. But I don’t want to get anyone else sick.
Lots of places, they take your temperature to see whether you can go in. But I never have had a fever. I could go today and no one would know I have COVID-19.
People should know that temperature isn’t the sign for whether you have COVID. There are a lot of people inside every place and they don’t know. For me, it started just a little in my nose, my eyes. Temperature doesn’t tell you the truth. This is the most important thing people should know.
People should know that temperature isn’t the sign for whether you have Covid.
You should have something inside you to be honest with people. I’m putting on my mask for me and for everyone else. Right now, I’m staying home, for myself and for other people. I don’t want other people to get the corona.
My son’s daycare reduced their hours when the corona started. I’m a single mom. My family isn’t here. I don’t have anybody that would take my son while I’m working. Only a husband, a mom, a close friend, those are the only people who will do this.
If I don’t work I won’t have childcare. I will lose my job. I don’t know if I’ll find one again.
So I had to cut my hours from full time to 15 hours a week. A friend suggested I apply for unemployment, but if I don’t work I won’t have childcare. I will lose my job. I don’t know if I’ll find one again.
Then the daycare they said “Oh, we found Covid-19 in our daycare.” They closed it for two or three days. I can’t work when the daycare is closed.
And work, sometimes they don’t put themselves in our shoes. I told them I’m a single mom, and with Covid. They don’t care. They want you to work and do your job that’s it. I don’t know. It’s hard. Very hard.
People need to go to work, they don’t have enough money. What should we do?
“Let me remember, mommy how you take care of me while I’m sick. I’m going to take care of you.” And oh my god, oh my god, that’s very sweet. He’s a sweet baby.
My son, he’s almost six, he’s going to start school, he’s very excited.
We have only one bathroom, so I told him every time you use it, make sure you spray it with Lysol and use the Clorox wipes. And today, I’m sleeping, and he told me “Mommy! Mommy! Did you use the bathroom?” No, I said. “Oh, okay, because I used it without wiping it.”
Today I told him to stay away from me, not to be next to me. And he brought a blanket for me and a small pillow. He tells me, “Let me remember, mommy how you take care of me while I’m sick. I’m going to take care of you.” And oh my god, oh my god, that’s very sweet. He’s a sweet baby.
This investigation by The Guardian is helpful in understanding more about the plight of home health aides in the pandemic.