To think retail staff should have PPE

[fourpeasinapod]

Was at my local Tesco today and it just made me wonder why on Earth they and other retail workers aren’t being provided with PPE.

If NHS staff can be given it then surely shop workers are entitled to it as well.

I don’t see how it could be practical and effective. What level of PPE are you expecting and what risks do you think it will mitigate?

Retail staff mostly have screens and/or can stay 2m away from the public.

I work with disabled children who often sneeze in my face or scratch me drawing blood. I dont have ppe as non of the children are confirmed with cv. Often the situation means staff cant distance from each other either.

I think it's much more important for nhs who are directly working with confirmed cases and have to be extremely close to them to do their jobs.

But I work on covid wards and I'm not entitled to it!

So no NHS workers aren't getting PPE. so no, I don't think supermarket workers should get it over those working with confirmed covid.

My Dp works in retail. They have gloves they are useless when stocking shelves. They can use masks if they want but then surely they would need goggles as it can enter through eyes. There no point.
We both key workers and accept we eventually we going to get the virus it's not going away. Lockdown is not to eradicate virus just slow spread. I think l would rather get it now and get it over and done with.

Retail staff are not working with known covid patients. Yes obviously someone with covid may not follow the advice to stay at home and may infect retail staff and other customers but the risk is far lower. As far as I'm aware shops have put up screens at the checkout and limited numbers in the shops as well as staff provided with gloves. I'm not sure what use an apron would be in a retail setting given the lack of contact.

NHS staff have been told as a last resort to wash and reuse PPE. There isn’t enough of it. The public don’t seem to understand how many people should have access but don’t. What about relatives of those with Corona, they should have it so they can sit with their dying family and say goodbye, there isn’t even enough for this.

All in all, the government should close all supermarkets and shops immediately and just provide deliveries.

This social distancing thing in shops isn’t working. I’ve seen it with my own eyes

How do you think supermarkets would be able to achieve that? They can't even get deliveries out to all the shielding group let alone healthy individuals.

How do you suppose people will eat when there aren't enough deliveries for people as it is?
You can't just magic up more vans and drivers for more deliveries

Absolutely agree OP. Transport workers too.
NHS staff should be a priority but thanks to the courtesy of our government, there isn't enough of them. Before Boris' fans jump to say that there is a world wide shortage, and that's why we don't have enough, I'd like to point out that in Spain masks are given out for free to the public now that the country is relaxing lockdown. Nothing to do with them participating in bulk buying with other EU countries, right?

Oh, there is even a link to an article in telegraph.
www-telegraph-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/04/13/spain-hands-face-masks-lockdown-relaxed-parts-economy/amp/?amp_js_v=a3&amp_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQFKAGwASA%3D#aoh=15869672968604&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.telegraph.co.uk%2Fnews%2F2020%2F04%2F13%2Fspain-hands-face-masks-lockdown-relaxed-parts-economy%2F

The virus can spread if you’re in close proximity to other people.

If you have Covid19 then you shouldn't be at the supermarket. There are massive supply issues. I'd much rather than doctors and nurses have enough than some of it gets diverted to M&S and Aldi.

Furthermore, lots of stores have already taken a lot of extra steps like putting up perspex screens to shield staff from customers and asking people to pay by card wherever possible.

All in all, the government should close all supermarkets and shops immediately and just provide deliveries.

Where are you magicking up all the thousands of extra delivery vans from?

@PineappleDanish that’s correct, you should not be out at all if you have covid 19.

But like I said, no symptoms doesn’t mean no infection. Somebody may have covid 19 and show no symptoms and then go to the shop

@PineappleDanish I don’t know, that would be for the government to decide. Right now saving lives is the main priority

That's the most ludicrous suggestion I've heard in a while. The giv is supposed to organise deliveries to every single household in the UK? Cater for dietary needs, allergies, ASD issues with particular brands etc? That's insane. NHS staff are in necessary, hands on proximity to confirmed covid patients. Supermarket staff, teachers etc, unless shielding for their own health issues have to strike a balance between safety and common sense.

@HughAckmansWife yeah I do know it wouldn’t be the most convenient thing but if shops are opened infections spread

I agree with you, OP. They should have it. It’s just a shame there is such a shortage and totally reasonable HCP’s should be the priority.

Honest to god I just want this nightmare to be over.

It’s surreal how one tiny tiny micro-organism can cause so much death and disruption

Where have you been hiding? NHS staff are having to re-use their PPE because there isn't enough to go round. Our community nurses are having to visit patients homes with no PPE at all.

Yes, in an ideal world everyone would have access to it but nurses, doctors and carers should be first in line if there is any available, they are in far closer contact with people than anybody else and can't work behind a screen or put distance between themselves and their patients.

There's a big jump between 'not convenient' and completely impossible. It's awful and sad and not nice to say but we cannot prevent this from spreading and keep and semblance of life going for the vast majority who will not be badly affected by this. My parents are both in fairly high risk groups, I am worried for them but we have to have sensible perspective. The economy must be protected, jobs, business, house ownership still needs to be there in a few months time. What you are suggesting is so clearly unfeasible it's frankly worrying.

just do deliveries?? there are NO food delivery slots....at all

for bulky deliveries....they may be a 2 man lifts they need to be over 2 metres apart....how?

Well then I don’t know what we can do then. It’s terrifying. I think those markets in China need to be stopped if that is what actually started this.

If they didn’t have those markets, would this pandemic have even happened?

DH works in transport, facing members of the public daily. Retail staff around here have been given more protective measures than his work have given out. I'd still rather have the PPE going to those in healthcare since it's in short supply.