COVID Straight Talk, a public health campaign and a project by Last Mile, has released a new set of health guidelines and tips to keep workers safe while working indoors. The campaign cuts through conflicting and confusing messaging on COVID-19 safety to raise awareness that COVID-19 is an airborne virus and enclosed, poorly ventilated work setting is a new hotbed of transmission. It uses the catchline “Get M.A.D. and Stay Safe” to call to action three vital safety measures: wear Masks, keep clean Air moving, and maintain physical Distance to slow the spread of the virus and save lives.
The COVID Straight Talk M.A.D. guidelines, designed to be easily accessible by employers and workers, are developed with doctors, HVAC experts, and public health leaders. The series of best practices and tips to make the workplace safer are applicable to all indoor workplaces including schools, industrial and institutional settings, available in English and Spanish and free to access.
The COVID Straight Talk website also features a three-minute survey, making it easy for workers and employers alike to get customized recommendations. The survey generates much-needed data on workers’ experiences. There are downloadable posters and guides, such as guides for voting, kids, and what to do if you get sick, to empower people during this challenging time.
COVID Straight Talk was launched in August 2020 by Last Mile, a nationwide, volunteer-run, not-for-profit organization addressing the “last mile” challenges related to COVID-19. Last Mile’s mission is to protect communities most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
About Last Mile: Founded in March of this year, Last Mile volunteers have since delivered 340,000 life-saving PPE including goggles, masks, gloves to frontline workers across 30 cities, including towns alongside the Mexican border in San Diego, California. By May, over 220,000 masks were delivered to health practitioners in New York City from around 650 individual deliveries made by Last Mile volunteers. Last Mile is fiscally sponsored by the Urban Justice Center, one of the most extensive legal service organizations in the United States protecting vulnerable communities. Learn more here.
Note: COVID Straight Talk was developed independently from Neighborhoods Now.