Naomh Pol News Issue 2

Throughout the last year, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted what is truly
important to us and how much, as a society, we depend upon our essential workers.
Like most teenagers, as I approached my 16 th birthday, I began searching for a part
time job. Luckily, I had success and I began working as an essential key worker last
October. I had no prior working experience before COVID 19 so to do so during a
pandemic with the challenges that come with it, was a baptism of fire, to say the
least!
However, I was not alone with these challenges and changes. Many students in Year
13 face the difficulties of working as an essential key worker. I spoke with some of
them and asked how they felt about working during the pandemic.
Shauna Gibney
I have been working in Clark’s Pharmacy in Newtownhamilton
since February 2020. Masks have to be worn for my whole shift
except for my lunch hour when I go home. We do our best to
social distance. Due to wearing a mask for a long time I have
found that my skin has been more prone to breakouts. To keep
everyone safe there is a Perspex screen between us and the
customers. Some of the challenges COVID has brought include
the difficulty to understand what customers are asking for due
to the Perspex screen and wearing masks. We also have to
constantly sanitise as well as doing our job.
Grace Ward
I work at Nisa Local Supermarket in MarketHill. I have worked
there for the past 8 months. All staff and customers are
required to wear masks, use hand sanitiser and adhere to social
distance guidelines. Only a limited number of customers are
allowed in the store at one time to reduce the spread of COVID.
It isn’t easy wearing a face mask but it’s what we have to do to
try and fight the virus. All staff have allocated breaks that no
two people are in the break room at the same time. All surfaces
and equipment must be sanitised after individual use to prevent
the spread of the virus.