Talking about COVID-19 seems like old news, but it really is not. In fact, if it were old news, we would be remembering this year with a well-earned sigh of relief. However, the disease is still moving around, and we are seeing rural America taking a larger hit.
Officials are warning the public in rural America to be more vigilant in their day-to-day routines. The number of cases is rising out in the country, and there is a push to make sure residents are not caught unprepared. Emily Krekelberg is a Farm Safety and Health Educator with the University of Minnesota. She says the uptick in rural cases is not a surprise at all.
During the harvest time, the signs of COVID-19 may be perceived as the normal fatigue farmers are used to feeling when they are working hard to bring in the crop. Krekelberg reminds producers to be aware of symptoms that are not improving and to get tested out of an abundance of caution. She also talks about the practical precautions you can take.
Krekelberg urges farmers to do all they can to take care of their general health and be aware of others around you. You may not have a worry about getting sick, but there may be others in your family who have high anxiety about it. Be sure to take others into account when you are considering your health.
