TOLEDO, Ohio — Many workers throughout the community are on the front lines of COVID-19 pandemic and are trying to keep themselves and their families from getting sick, while working.
Among them, are our postal workers and they are calling on you to help do your part.
Local postal workers are taking daily precautions among themselves to stay safe during the job, but also asking you to help.
Each day, mail carriers are wiping down their door handles, steering wheels and anything else that could potentially infect them.
WTOL 11 spoke with a local postal worker who has asked to stay anonymous because of her job.
She said sanitizing is two-way street. If they touch something of yours and you've been in contact with the coronavirus, they are at risk as well.
"If your mail goes in a mail slot in the door, sanitize the door handles because I've got to open the door and people are coming in and out all day. And please, if you're sending outgoing mail, don't lick the envelope shut anymore. People do that without even thinking," she said.
After working in the business for over a decade, she said she's never seen anything like this.
She told WTOL 11, workers are wearing protective equipment now like gloves and masks, but each day is stressful for this woman because she has a family at home that she wants to keep healthy.
Mail carriers are also urging you to sanitize your mailboxes, especially the lids that are getting flipped up.
She said what they are asking for are small things that people don't usually think about, but can help keep all of them safe while they're on their routes.
Facts not fear: Putting COVID-19 into context
WTOL 11’s coverage of the coronavirus is rooted in Facts, not Fear. Visit https://www.wtol.com/coronavirus-covid-19 for comprehensive coverage, find out what you need to know about northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan specifically, learn more about the symptoms, and keep tabs on the cases around the world here. Have a question? Text it to us at 419-248-1100.
Protect yourself from coronavirus
- Cover: Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
- Dispose: Throw used tissues in a lined can.
- Wash hands: Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing; going to the bathroom; and before eating or preparing food.
- Hand sanitizer: If soap and water are not readily available, use and alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol, covering all surfaces of your hands and rubbing them together until they feel dry.
- Avoid touching: Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.