Houston Chronicle by St. John Barned-Smith and Emily Foxhall March 24, 2020
First responders can’t social distance. Some are getting sick. And departments say it could strain responses
Police officers are shaving their beards so masks fit better. Firefighters may use raincoats for protection if gown supplies get low. But for those who have to handcuff suspects or administer CPR, social distancing isn’t an option.
Though the pandemic has sickened hundreds of thousands across the globe and brought life in Harris County to a shuddering halt, police, paramedics and firefighters still must report to duty.
And while departments are trying to keep their employees from contracting COVID-19, or spreading it, there is only so much they can do.
As coronavirus spreads across the country, first responders are getting sick. In one northern California fire department, 13 came down with the illness. So did 46 firefighters in New York City.
More:
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/First-responders-can-t-social-distance-Some-15154163.php
