Two Sikh Doctors Shave Their Beards In Order To Treat Coronavirus Patients

Two Sikh brothers in Canada, who are also doctors, have cut their beards in order to wear N95 masks when treating coronavirus patients.

According to Upworthy, both Sanjeet and Rajeet Singh-Saluja sported long breads as part of their Sikh religion.

One of the main pillars of the Sikh religion is sewa meaning selfless service or helping others without reward or personal gain. Another main pillar is kesh, the practice of allowing one’s hair to grow naturally out of respect for the perfection of God’s creation.

The two pillars put the men in a tough situation. The brothers told reporters they consulted leaders of the Sikh faith as well as friends and family. Eventually, the brothers decided their commitment to helping other heal was worth more than their beards.

“We could choose not to work, but in a time when healthcare workers are falling sick, we would be adding stress to an already taxed system,” Sanjeet said in a video posted by the McGill University Health Centre. “We could decide to simply refuse to see COVID-19 patients until viable protection is available to us, but that goes against our oath as physicians and against the principles of sewa,” he continued.

It’s the first time either brother, both in their 40’s, has shaved their beard, so naturally it’s not something they’re used to,

“It’s a decision that has left me with much sadness,” Sanjeet told the Montreal Gazette. “This was something that had been so much part of my identity. I look at myself in the mirror very differently now. Every morning when I see myself, it’s a bit of a shock.

Sanjeet added due to how easily the coronavirus is transmitted from person to person “it just wasn’t feasible anymore.”

The brothers knew they couldn’t sit on the sidelines, knowing ignoring hundreds of people were dying everyday and not helping would go against the Sikh religion. More than 60,000 residents in Canada have been infected with the coronavirus, but only 4,500 have succumbed to the disease.

American is having a much harder time dealing with the virus. More people in America have died than the the number of Canadians have been infected. However, Canada’s unemployment rate of 13% is not far from the 16.7% rate in the U.S.

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Poll: Majority of Parents Want Schools to Remain Closed Even If Children Fall Behind

Although several states are reopening for business, a new survey found that a majority of parents are prioritizing the safety and health of their children and communities in wake of the ongoing coronavirus crisis.

A poll released by the National Parents Union found that around 75% of parents across the country think schools should only reopen when COVID-19 is no longer a health risk, even if that means that students will fall further behind. Just 22% of parents, on the other hand, say schools should reopen as soon as possible.

The poll also revealed that 8 out of 10 parents want schools to implement new measures when they do reopen, including notifying all parents if and when a student or staff member is ill and providing counseling and mental health services. In addition, they want students and teachers to have the option to learn or teach from home. Furthermore, about 75% of parents support staggering schedules while 70% say face masks should be mandated for students and staff.

“The voice of parents must be heard loud and clear: we will not let our children return to school until it is absolutely safe to do so”, said Keri Rodrigues, the founding president of the National Parents Union, in a statement sent to BLACK ENTERPRISE. “Our children are not guinea pigs. They are our sons and daughters whose health and safety must be paramount above all else. When school leaders, government officials, and medical professionals can make us, as parents, feel comfortable that it is safe for our kids to return, that’s when we’ll do so and not a second sooner.”

Because of the pandemic, 61% of parents say that schools should come up with new, innovative ways to educate students moving forward. On the other hand, only 32% of parents want the education systems to continue to operate the same way they did before the novel crisis.

Parents are also more concerned about education and their families’ wellbeing than their finances. According to a press release:

81% of parents are worried about their kids missing important social interactions at school or with friends, and the same percentage of parents are worried about making sure their child stays on track in school. Nearly the same say they are worried about themselves or a family member contracting coronavirus (80%). And more than three fourths say they are worried about how the situation is affecting their child’s mental health and emotional wellbeing.

 

Meanwhile, economic concerns don’t rank quite as high, although still a significant issue, as 69% of parents say they are worried about making ends meet.

“Our instinct, as parents, is to always put our kids’ wellbeing above all else, even as many lie awake wondering how to pay the rent,” Rodrigues continued. “Every single day our hearts break as we worry how this crisis is impacting them, whether it be their mental health or their ability to keep up in school. But make no mistake, our kids are learning- they’re learning grit, perseverance and empathy, attributes that they will carry with them for life.”

from Black Enterprise https://ift.tt/3bgXb6s

Poll: Majority of Parents Want Schools to Remain Closed Even If Children Fall Behind

Although several states are reopening for business, a new survey found that a majority of parents are prioritizing the safety and health of their children and communities in wake of the ongoing coronavirus crisis.

A poll released by the National Parents Union found that around 75% of parents across the country think schools should only reopen when COVID-19 is no longer a health risk, even if that means that students will fall further behind. Just 22% of parents, on the other hand, say schools should reopen as soon as possible.

The poll also revealed that 8 out of 10 parents want schools to implement new measures when they do reopen, including notifying all parents if and when a student or staff member is ill and providing counseling and mental health services. In addition, they want students and teachers to have the option to learn or teach from home. Furthermore, about 75% of parents support staggering schedules while 70% say face masks should be mandated for students and staff.

“The voice of parents must be heard loud and clear: we will not let our children return to school until it is absolutely safe to do so”, said Keri Rodrigues, the founding president of the National Parents Union, in a statement sent to BLACK ENTERPRISE. “Our children are not guinea pigs. They are our sons and daughters whose health and safety must be paramount above all else. When school leaders, government officials, and medical professionals can make us, as parents, feel comfortable that it is safe for our kids to return, that’s when we’ll do so and not a second sooner.”

Because of the pandemic, 61% of parents say that schools should come up with new, innovative ways to educate students moving forward. On the other hand, only 32% of parents want the education systems to continue to operate the same way they did before the novel crisis.

Parents are also more concerned about education and their families’ wellbeing than their finances. According to a press release:

81% of parents are worried about their kids missing important social interactions at school or with friends, and the same percentage of parents are worried about making sure their child stays on track in school. Nearly the same say they are worried about themselves or a family member contracting coronavirus (80%). And more than three fourths say they are worried about how the situation is affecting their child’s mental health and emotional wellbeing.

 

Meanwhile, economic concerns don’t rank quite as high, although still a significant issue, as 69% of parents say they are worried about making ends meet.

“Our instinct, as parents, is to always put our kids’ wellbeing above all else, even as many lie awake wondering how to pay the rent,” Rodrigues continued. “Every single day our hearts break as we worry how this crisis is impacting them, whether it be their mental health or their ability to keep up in school. But make no mistake, our kids are learning- they’re learning grit, perseverance and empathy, attributes that they will carry with them for life.”

from Black Enterprise https://ift.tt/3bgXb6s

NYC Healthcare Worker and COVID-19 Survivor Is Urging Women to Stay Away From Their Moms on Mother’s Day

The COVID-19, or novel coronavirus, pandemic has caused healthcare systems in states to work at max capacity just to take care of the growing number of new patients entering the emergency rooms from the viral outbreak. With Mother’s Day coming up this weekend, many may be tempted to see their mother on Sunday. After a big scare, one New York City healthcare worker and COVID-19 survivor is urging you to stay home.

Charrell Cooper works as a pediatric physical therapist for children with cardiac and pulmonary needs at New York Presbyterian Hospital. Despite the health risks, Cooper still went into work knowing the importance of her work at the hospital.

“Working as a physical therapist is a deeply challenging, but rewarding role. Encouraging and motivating people to start moving directly after complex medical conditions, surgeries or transplants can be extremely difficult,” said Cooper in an interview with BLACK ENTERPRISE.

“Physical therapists are constantly in close contact with patients during mobilization, which may include transferring patients to/from bed to a chair or during ambulation (walking). You can imagine that when initially treating COVID-19 patients we had fear about protecting the patients and protecting ourselves. Not only were we concerned with getting COVID-19, we were nervous about spreading COVID-19 to our fellow co-workers, patients, and families.”

When she received a positive result from her COVID-19 test, she was caught off guard because she had no underlying health conditions. She stayed in her New York apartment for more than a month in quarantine, where she had the virtual support of her family, especially her mother and Nana, to keep her going.

As she moves toward a full recovery, Cooper wanted to do something special for others on this upcoming Mother’s Day in quarantine. Cooper is urging others to practice social distancing in light of the holiday to protect others who are vulnerable to the virus. She created the #MakeTheCall initiative in collaboration with shapewear marketplace Shapermint, dedicating the rest of her recovery to spreading the word about the importance of social distancing.

“The best way that I could give back to my family was to encourage as many people as I could to stay home for Mother’s Day. I wanted a larger platform and even got in touch with Shapewear marketplace Shapermint after seeing its #MakeTheCall initiative for people to continue social distancing guidelines no matter how their states’ stay-at-home rules have changed,” she explained.

“I would encourage families to use this time to be creative, celebrate life, and have fun with their family! Have a zoom/virtual dance party, karaoke, or a fashion show of what outfits they would’ve worn for Mother’s Day. Families can have a virtual dinner together or play games. Share your favorite memories of your grandmothers or mothers.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

This Mother’s Day we protect moms. The best gift you can give is to #MakeTheCall Our Tribute to The Real Shapers: Moms. Social distancing can’t stop our power to love! We tested how powerful a call can be… We challenged daughters to tell their moms how they shaped them. Their heartfelt reactions truly touched us. YOU can make a difference by spreading love and protection. This Mother’s Day, make the call. #MakeTheCall #MothersDay #Shapermint

A post shared by Shapermint (@shapermint) on Apr 23, 2020 at 7:00am PDT

from Black Enterprise https://ift.tt/2yKx4ay

NYC Healthcare Worker and COVID-19 Survivor Is Urging Women to Stay Away From Their Moms on Mother’s Day

The COVID-19, or novel coronavirus, pandemic has caused healthcare systems in states to work at max capacity just to take care of the growing number of new patients entering the emergency rooms from the viral outbreak. With Mother’s Day coming up this weekend, many may be tempted to see their mother on Sunday. After a big scare, one New York City healthcare worker and COVID-19 survivor is urging you to stay home.

Charrell Cooper works as a pediatric physical therapist for children with cardiac and pulmonary needs at New York Presbyterian Hospital. Despite the health risks, Cooper still went into work knowing the importance of her work at the hospital.

“Working as a physical therapist is a deeply challenging, but rewarding role. Encouraging and motivating people to start moving directly after complex medical conditions, surgeries or transplants can be extremely difficult,” said Cooper in an interview with BLACK ENTERPRISE.

“Physical therapists are constantly in close contact with patients during mobilization, which may include transferring patients to/from bed to a chair or during ambulation (walking). You can imagine that when initially treating COVID-19 patients we had fear about protecting the patients and protecting ourselves. Not only were we concerned with getting COVID-19, we were nervous about spreading COVID-19 to our fellow co-workers, patients, and families.”

When she received a positive result from her COVID-19 test, she was caught off guard because she had no underlying health conditions. She stayed in her New York apartment for more than a month in quarantine, where she had the virtual support of her family, especially her mother and Nana, to keep her going.

As she moves toward a full recovery, Cooper wanted to do something special for others on this upcoming Mother’s Day in quarantine. Cooper is urging others to practice social distancing in light of the holiday to protect others who are vulnerable to the virus. She created the #MakeTheCall initiative in collaboration with shapewear marketplace Shapermint, dedicating the rest of her recovery to spreading the word about the importance of social distancing.

“The best way that I could give back to my family was to encourage as many people as I could to stay home for Mother’s Day. I wanted a larger platform and even got in touch with Shapewear marketplace Shapermint after seeing its #MakeTheCall initiative for people to continue social distancing guidelines no matter how their states’ stay-at-home rules have changed,” she explained.

“I would encourage families to use this time to be creative, celebrate life, and have fun with their family! Have a zoom/virtual dance party, karaoke, or a fashion show of what outfits they would’ve worn for Mother’s Day. Families can have a virtual dinner together or play games. Share your favorite memories of your grandmothers or mothers.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

This Mother’s Day we protect moms. The best gift you can give is to #MakeTheCall Our Tribute to The Real Shapers: Moms. Social distancing can’t stop our power to love! We tested how powerful a call can be… We challenged daughters to tell their moms how they shaped them. Their heartfelt reactions truly touched us. YOU can make a difference by spreading love and protection. This Mother’s Day, make the call. #MakeTheCall #MothersDay #Shapermint

A post shared by Shapermint (@shapermint) on Apr 23, 2020 at 7:00am PDT

from Black Enterprise https://ift.tt/2yKx4ay