Medical Workers Are Not Dining Out… or Are They?
Suze Uzunyan, a Clinical laboratory technician at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, is pregnant with her first child. Although she loves eating out, COVID-19 cases have been increasing rapidly, forcing her to stay inside. She not only wants to stay healthy for her sake, but for her baby as well.
Eight months ago, the world suddenly went into lockdown as the global coronavirus pandemic took place, causing more than 274k Americans to die from the disease. Medical workers in cities such as Los Angeles have approached the virus differently as some choose to follow the stay-at-home orders, while others choose to dine-out.
Restaurants in the Los Angeles area have been closed for indoor dining since the pandemic took place. Outdoor dining was then opened to the public as long as they followed all COVID regulations. However, on Wednesday, November 25 the county chose to close it down in most restaurants.
In a phone interview, Uzunyan admitted to being one of the thousands who partook in dining outdoors when cases were decreasing. Since the sudden increase, she has refrained from going. With a baby on the way, it’s been safer to stay-at-home unless she has work or groceries to pick up.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, Uzunyan has felt anxious and cautious. Now that it’s been about nine months since it first started, she has expressed how much more anxious she feels compared to the beginning.
“A lot of people are over it and that’s what makes me anxious,” Uzunyan said. “You have to fully trust that the people around you are doing their part, and that’s hard because it’s not just holiday season, but it’s also flu season and COVID cases are going up. I’m definitely more anxious now than in the beginning.”
She says even though she refrains from dining out, there’s no guarantee her close circle will stop as well. Her biggest concern in getting the disease is how it may affect her baby.
“I don’t know how it affects the baby in the womb. Especially now because they’re saying you have to get tested before giving birth, and if the mother tests positive, they have to stay quarantined at the hospital. They don’t get skin-to-skin because the baby will also be quarantined. That’s big, and I don’t want that. It’s hard to enforce those around you to do their part,” she says.
Unit Secretary at Henry Mayo Hospital, Nathalie Tapia is another essential worker who refuses to dine out. With COVID cases increasing, she tells me she doesn’t see things going back to normal any time soon.
Like Uzunyan, the rise in cases has made Tapia feel much more anxious than the first time it was announced.
“This wave is definitely hitting me a little harder,” she says. “Especially working in COVID units and seeing everything first hand.” She continues by telling me the hardest part of her job is seeing patients suffer alone, without their families, due to the no visitors policy. Because of it, she wishes the public could refrain from eating out.
“I’d encourage [people] to stop. To fully quarantine as much as possible. I think restaurants are doing their best to be as clean and safe as possible, but due to cases rising it’s just best to stay home,” she says.
Hannah Meegan, a laboratory technician at Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica has faced much exposure to the virus. She, like Uzunyan, has felt uneasy during these times as she handles COVID samples. On a regular day, she processes samples for various diseases such as cancer. However, since the pandemic started, she has had to work with a lot of COVID samples, processing lung fluid and mucus fluid. Working in a medical center in the midst of a pandemic has made her cautious of where she spends her free time, and wishes others could be mindful as well.
When asked about eating outdoors, Meegan tells me it is not worth it. “I think it may have been safe at one point when cases were not as abundant, but right now, I don’t believe it’s worth it. The possibility of getting COVID right now is so uncertain that no gathering is truly worth it in my opinion,” she says. “I’ve had times where I found out I had possible exposure and waiting to get the negative results has been excruciating.”
While she wishes to be optimistic about the situation, Meegan has faced some of her hardest struggles in the lab, leading her to believe that unless everyone follows proper guidelines, nobody will be living life “normal” again.
The idea of going back to normalcy is becoming more rare for medical workers.
Emely Garcia, a Medical receptionist at El Proyecto Del Barrio Health Clinic, doesn’t see anything going back to how it was pre- coronavirus life. With cases increasing each day, people are more prone to take the virus lightly because of how long we’ve been indoors. It makes her believe we won’t dine inside a restaurant for a long while.
The pandemic has made Garcia cautious, but fearful as well. “People just don’t take it serious,” she says. “And even though you’re wearing your mask 24/7, washing your hands and using a lot of hand sanitizer, you always still have that fear.”
Garcia who has worked at her job for three years urges people to stay-at-home. While she has done her part by refraining from dining out since the pandemic started, she is filled with anxiety as she fears of becoming infected. She wishes people could be more responsible and listen to what health experts have to say.
“If we want the numbers to go down then we all have to do out part and not be careless about the situation,” Garcia says.
People are risking the chance of becoming infected when they choose to dine out. Garcia, who is exhausted of seeing cases rise, wants people to protect themselves and their families.
While there are essential workers such as Uzunyan, Tapia, Meegan, and Garcia who refrain from eating outdoors, there are others who don’t mind it.
Anthony Pelayo, a 23-year-old medical worker admitted to eating outdoors when he has the time. When they first allowed outdoor dining he slowly began going, while still being cautious.
“I do not feel fearful in dining in as the restaurants I have been to have made me feel safe,” Pelayo says.
Like Pelayo, Carlos Cortez, a 25-year-old medical worker has also admitted to dining outdoors. When restaurants began to slowly open up, he would visit the ones he missed the most.
“I do not feel fearful in dining in, as the restaurants I have been to has made me feel safe,” Cortez says.
David Montero, another essential worker who visits higher-end restaurants, tells me the ones he visits are always following the rules. The 37-year-old says he feels comfortable and isn’t afraid of dining outdoors.
Similar to those who don’t work in a hospital or a clinic, plenty of medical workers are filled with anxiety. They not only fear of becoming infected, but also infecting their loved ones. For many of them, it is a shame to dine outdoors. For others, however, it is debated by how well the restaurants are taking care of their customers during unprecedented times.
While many continue to debate on a topic such as this, Meegan tells me her focus is on the people she is trying to help.
“It is definitely overwhelming at times, but I am continuing to remind myself that I am here to give people the help I can,” Meegan says. “It’s helpful to remember that all the COVID cases are not just numbers, but people, who need someone there for them more than ever.”
