Dear Editor,
Last week, Cheshire East’s Waste Collection Service, ANSA announced the difficulties they were experiencing in maintaining bin collections due to Covid-related staff sickness and staff shortages – a situation repeated across the country.
This week, I received a positive CPR test and am self-isolating.
Let’s be honest, Covid is a foul virus even if you’ve had the full suite of jabs.
Over 150,000 people have died in the UK and whilst the rates are slowing, the clinically vulnerable and those who refused vaccinations, are over-represented in our hospitals, our intensive care units and sadly in the mortality figures.
As I dip into yet another box of tissues to blow my nose and wipe my weepy eyes, as I drop the detritus of yet another positive lateral flow test into the rubbish bin, I realise just how dangerous waste collection duties really are.
Remember back in 2020, when we meticulously doubled-bagged our potentially contaminated trash before putting it in the black bin and sanitised the bin handles just in case?
I suspect too many of us have grown complacent and forgotten that as well as ourselves and our loved ones, we also need to protect those we rely on to clear up after us.
I’ve been disgusted to read on social media platforms, the overt criticism of waste collection services – All by keyboard critics who clearly have little understanding of staff availability and very limited understanding of viral spread, or the vulnerability of those in the waste industry, to vector and aerosol infection from the contaminated materials we all so carelessly throw away.
So as I sanitise my hands and double-bag my contaminated tissues, it’s worth remembering that Covid Heroes don’t all come in clean, clinical uniforms or shiny ambulances, they come directly to our homes, in protective boiler-suits, steel-capped boots riding in smelly bin lorries.
If we do all we can to look after them, they’ll be back all the sooner to look after us.
Yours
Cllr Janet Clowes
Wybunbury Ward
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