While people were stuck at home under Coronavirus restrictions, many Hoffman Estates High School students have been wondering how to help out the community and support healthcare workers on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“People at home can help out by wearing masks, distancing themselves from others, and having patience. It’s important for people to be kind and look out for each other because this whole situation is new to everyone,” said Kari Schneider, nurse practitioner at a local hospital. 

Along with these suggestions, some HEHS students have had other great ideas to support healthcare workers and have been busy over the past few months. 

“I recently just made a whole stack of handwritten cards to distribute at local hospitals for those on the frontlines,” said Madina Ashurova, junior.

“I know this situation weighs heavily on many healthcare workers, so I made thank you cards to show my support,” adds Jasmine Kaur, junior. 

Expressing thanks, whether that’s in the form of a card, or simply saying thank you to anyone in the healthcare community is a great way to help out right now. 

“When people express their thanks, it lifts our spirits, gives us a sense of purpose, and makes us feel needed and appreciated,” said Schneider. 

Many healthcare workers are under immense stress as hospitals are flooded with COVID-19 patients. 

On a personal level, Schneider explains how healthcare workers have been doing things differently and how that impacts her family.

“Now we wash our hands all the time, and there’s no more handshakes or family meetings at the hospital, so we make lots of telephone calls to keep in contact with families,” she said. “We also don’t wear work clothes anymore and are instead wearing scrubs everyday. I personally have a decontamination station in my garage that I go to before entering the house. I’ve been working more hours and on the weekends, so it’s causing more stress for my family at home.” 

Since healthcare personnel are experiencing immense changes, it’s more important than ever to help out the healthcare system, whether that’s expressing thanks, wearing a mask, distancing from others, or having patience.