Social Workers: The Unsung Heroes of the COVID-19 Pandemic

It’s undeniable that the COVID-19, or Coronavirus, pandemic has devastated the entire
world recently. America, with the most cases of any country, is war-torn. The nation is fighting
not only for the lives of affected individuals but for freedom from the virus, as people are trapped
in their homes. The virus has depleted the nation’s hospitals of supplies, has taken over 28,000
lives and has placed the entire country on pause. Worst of all, the finish line is not in sight.

As states are going into government-mandated lockdown and citizens are encouraged to
social distance, it’s important to think about those who can’t. Many people are considered
“essential workers,” meaning they need to go to work. Four months ago they wouldn’t have
guessed they’d become heroes, but they have proven their worth in their contributions to
America’s society.

When one thinks of an essential worker, they are likely to think of doctors and nurses,
who treat patients' physical illnesses, but many other employees are on the front line of the virus.
Not only should Americans be thinking of the doctors, but they should also think of the hospital
janitors, pharmacists, and social workers, who are risking their wellbeing every day.

Leah Veeck, Clinical Social Work Lead, is one of many heroes in this time of darkness.
She works at the University of Maryland Medical Center, managing social workers in the Adult
Emergency Department, the Pediatric Emergency Room, and the Psychiatric Emergency Room.
For years, she worked hands-on with clients in the three ERs. Social workers are different from
any other health professionals, as they work with both the physical and mental health of patients.

“Social workers do a multitude of things,” Veeck said. “Some of the things we do is see
homeless patients and make sure they’re linked to resources, like clothing or shelter, or do
emergency psych evaluations on kids 5-18. We determine if they should go in-patient or if we
can link them to outpatient services. If we suspect a child has been abused we make sure they’re
safe and get child protection services involved.”

Regardless of the specific service, social work is a job full of helping others. Veeck has
worked in the field for 19 years but has spent the last ten as a Lead. Regularly, her days consist
of administrative work, such as scheduling, training new social workers, managing her branch of
staff, and seeing some clients. She does not have her own clients anymore but is often called in
to help with difficult cases or pick some up if there is a shortage of social workers working.
Social work is a very hard job, as social workers deal with emotionally difficult cases every day,
such as clients experiencing abuse, homelessness, addiction, and mental illness.
 The recent outbreak of the Coronavirus has impacted the lives of everyone worldwide.
One walks through a grocery store to be surrounded by empty shelves. The economy is
plummeting, and the county's administration is in shambles. People are out of work and out of
school, and some are even losing their lives. However, for Veeck and many other hospital staff
members, they have never been busier.

“My typical day at work, as an administrator, has been blown up,” Veeck said. “I have
had to figure out a schedule where I have social workers working 12-hour shifts instead of their
regular eight-hour ones. With more patients being infected and in need of our help, we need
more people there for 24/7 coverage of the different emergency rooms.”

In addition to working her regular, already tiring shift, she has included Zoom meetings
and educational seminars into her schedule recently. She has calls with other Social Work Leads,
as they are preparing for the surge of the virus, which Veeck said “is projected to occur on April
18th,” and her team must discharge as many COVID-free patients as possible. The educational
seminars are meant to train social workers in areas outside their specialized skill set. For
example, with the pandemic, a social worker who previously only worked in the psychiatric
department, will now be seeing a variety of clients as the needs of Americans change with the
virus. However, Veeck said that for the social workers who solely see clients:

“In the past two weeks, their workload has tremendously decreased. We’re a 700-bed
hospital and we’re down to 390 patients, so were at like 40% capacity. As we are all waiting for
this influx and rush of COVID-19 patients, they have more time on their hands. However, as the
virus hits its peak, this will change, and as a Lead, I am making sure all necessary precautions
are being taken.”

Simply put, social workers have not been in this position before. The main change for
them is the way they do their work. In regular conditions, social workers and Leads, like Veeck,
meet face-to-face with clients in the different emergency rooms. Now, only doctors and nurses
are allowed in patient’s rooms, so social workers have had to consult with their clients via phone
calls. While this change is key to the safety of social workers, it makes things more difficult for
them. However, “social workers are trained to help others,” Veeck claimed, and they are ready to
step up in a time of crisis.

While Veeck happily shared the changes social workers have undergone as they fight the
pandemic, she also shared her views on how COVID-19 has affected Americans as a whole. As
someone who works heavily with emotions, she has an expert opinion on the subject.
 “I think it has a dual-effect,” said Veeck. “I think first and foremost, it has really made
people realize what’s important in life, what we need to focus on, and it has really centered
people and brought them closer together. We are so lucky for what we have, it just sucks that it
takes something like a pandemic for people to realize. The other part of that is I think we’ve seen
how it brings out the selfishness of people and some people in America are only living life for
themselves” Veeck explained.

As a worker in the health field, Veeck is in a very interesting position- she sees how the
pandemic is affecting both essential workers and patients every day, as well as her friends and
family. She is affected first hand by the PPE shortages that America is facing, meaning only
doctors and nurses are permitted to wear the high-quality gowns and masks. Social workers
among other employees are given one mask to reuse over and over again until it’s soiled. Also,
she is affected by the emotional distress of her clients, who for some, this virus will likely take
their lives.

“There have been many studies conducted to see if anyone is more likely to get the
virus,” Veeck said. “If you are at risk, like by having social-determinant health, being African
American, poor, homeless, don’t know English, or are scared of the healthcare system, you are
likely more emotionally and physically affected. People don’t know if they’ll survive or if they
have the resources to take care of themselves. Those that can self-quarantine and still have
income and food are less likely to be affected, but no one is immune. And I think people are just
scared. Everyone’s anxieties are peaked, and it's understandable- we see this once a century.”

She is also surrounded by heightened anxiety outside of work, as the pandemic has
increased nerves in everybody. Veeck says that even her 11-year-old son has been anxious
recently, and “he sleeps in a spare bed in the master bedroom every night.” Veeck’s oldest child,
who is 19, has a good understanding of the condition of the world, but her two younger sons
don’t really understand what's going on. They are still asking to see their friends or go do fun
activities, and it’s heartbreaking for Veeck to tell them that right now, they just can’t.

Veeck’s own worries have caused her to be extra cautious when coming home from
work. Due to COVID-19, her after work routine has changed quite a bit. On arriving home, she
takes her shoes off in the garage and makes a beeline for her bedroom. There, she changes and
washes her hands. She has recently opted to wear scrubs at work, rather than her usual business
casual attire. As an administrator, she preferred to wear professional clothes, but scrubs “have
become a uniform” for Veeck, as she can easily wash them every night and wear them again the
next day. The social workers that Veeck manages have been making light-hearted jokes: “the
boss is in scrubs. The world really is ending.” But the reality is, the world we knew a few months
ago is gone, and it will be difficult to return to it.
 “I think it’s brought us closer together, but it’s different at home,” Veeck said in regards
to how the pandemic has affected her family life. “It’s quieter, not as chaotic. We’re not
constantly driving people to sports or friends’ houses. We do a lot more family games, like cards
or scavenger hunts. Life is just different now.”

People worldwide have been adjusting their entire lives at the convenience of the
Coronavirus, and it has been hard for everyone to stay home and social distance. However, social
distancing is so important, as the Coronavirus curve must flatten for conditions to improve.
Veeck urges the public to stay home, as it not only is important for any individual's health but for
the health of the community and nation.

“I think that people need to realize that they have a responsibility to protect and help
others,” Veeck commented. “We are a society. It’s not every man for themselves. We need to
worry about the 80-year-old neighbor. Yeah, your kids might be bored, mine are too, but don’t
let them have a playdate with some other kid where they are close to each other. No one is
immune, and people think they are.”

The Coronavirus has made things hard, not only for Americans but for people across the
globe. Perhaps if America’s administration was more proactive in December, conditions in the
United States would be different, but we have to handle the situation at hand. Everyone must stay
home and social distance- the fewer cases contracted, the easier the lives of the essential
workers. The essential workers, such as doctors, grocery store employees, hospital janitors,
nurses, and social workers, are risking their health daily, and the ​least​ Americans can do is to
stay home.