DHEC looking for new employees to work 84 hours a week during coronavirus outbreak
The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) is looking to hire four people to join its staff during the coronavirus pandemic.
The candidates would join a task force responding to COVID-19, to preserve the health and well-being of South Carolina’s residents and environment, it said in a job listing on LinkedIn.
The people hired for the support positions will help DHEC’s “planning and execution for COVID-19 response,” it said in the listing.
Like the work itself, the hours will be demanding, as the position calls for working 12 hour shifts, seven days a week. That’s an 84-hour work week, half of the time in a seven-day stretch.
The support positions will pay between $19.60-$25.14 an hour, with overtime, according to the job post.
The jobs would be considered essential positions in South Carolina, and the new employees would work on site DHEC, not remotely online, according to the listing.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREWhat you should know about the coronavirus
What is coronavirus?
Coronavirus is an infection of the respiratory system similar to the flu. Coronaviruses are a class of viruses that regularly cause illnesses among adults and children, but this outbreak has spawned a new disease called COVID-19, a particularly harsh respiratory condition that can lead to death.
Health officials believe COVID-19 spread from animals to humans somewhere in China. It spreads among humans by physical person-to-person contact, including via coughs. That’s why health officials urge sick individuals to avoid contact with other people.
For more information, visit the website for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms are similar to the flu and include fever, coughing and shortness of breath.
How can I stop the spread of the coronavirus?
Wash your hands regularly with soap and water, and cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze.
If you develop symptoms similar to the coronavirus, you should seek medical attention. Stay home from work or school and avoid contact with others. It can take up to 14 days after coming into contact with the virus to develop symptoms.
COVID-19 is a new condition and there’s much about the disease we still don’t understand. For now, taking precautions is the best way to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
Candidates must have a Bachelor’s Degree, and at least two years of planning experience and operations is preferred, it said in the post.
It’s also preferred that the candidates have knowledge of Incident Command System (ICS), the “system designed to enable effective and efficient domestic incident management by integrating a combination of facilities, equipment, personnel, procedures, and communications operating within a common organizational structure,” according to FEMA.
DHEC is looking to fill the positions quickly and wants to find candidates that want to “Make an impact TODAY!”
On Tuesday, 44 new cases of the coronavirus were reported in South Carolina, bringing the statewide total to 342 confirmed COVID-19 cases in 36 counties, according to DHEC.
DHEC also announced Tuesday that two more people died after testing positive for the coronavirus, raising that total to seven in less than two weeks. State health officials described all seven as elderly, and all but one had underlying medical conditions.
DHEC is encouraging people to practice “social distancing” to help stop the spread of the virus. Social distancing is staying away from unnecessary interactions with sick people and from large groups of people; it also calls for remaining at home unless it is absolutely necessary to go out.
Symptoms of coronavirus can include a fever, coughing, and difficulty breathing, according to the CDC. Among the emergency warning signs of COVID-19 is trouble breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, and blueish lips or face, the CDC said.
The best way to prevent infection is to frequently wash hands for 20 seconds; avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth; avoid contact with sick people and clean frequently touched objects with a cleaning spray or wipe, according to the CDC. DHEC also recommends covering your cough, staying home when sick, and disposing tissues and other items that you’ve sneezed or coughed into.
As of Wednesday morning, 428,405 people worldwide have been diagnosed with coronavirus and 19,120 people have died, while 109,926 recovered, according to Johns Hopkins University. In the United States, 55,225 people have been diagnosed with the novel virus. In the U.S. 802 deaths have been reported, including 192 in New York City, according to Johns Hopkins.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREThis is a breaking news story
In a breaking news situation, facts can be unclear and the situation may still be developing. The State is trying to get important information to the public as quickly and accurately as possible. This story will be updated as more information becomes available, and some information in this story may change as the facts become clearer. Refresh this page later for more updated information.
This story was originally published March 25, 2020 at 11:01 AM.
