Written by: Hanna Azizi
Across the U.S. the end of summer signifies fall, a season centered around back-to-school activity and cooler weather. However, coastal communities and surrounding areas cannot transition without worry of a hurricane or tropical storm ravaging their community. This year, the COVID-19 pandemic has added an extra dimension of health risks that experts and civilians must navigate together to ensure safety in these unprecedented times.
Photo by The Daily Advertiser, Aftermath of Hurricane Laura in Louisiana
What are the typical health risks of hurricanes?
Based on hurricane categorization, the impacts can vary. Seasonal threats which can have long-lasting impacts if not dealt with properly include: flooding, property damage, overcrowding of hospitals, and lack of access to power. Floods present a high level of risk as oftentimes these waters can be contaminated by viruses, bacteria, parasites, as well as sewage water and chemical pollutants (Kumler, 2017).
Hurricane season can bring the loss of power for a period of time ranging from 1-4 days to several weeks. As a result, civilians can face extreme difficulty with water, gas, and electricity shortages, as well as maintaining insulin for diabetes patients who need it (Mostafavi, 2020). Recovery efforts after the storm can lead to unintended negative health consequences that can last for years; for example, weakened infrastructure on top of mold and mildew in different buildings can have severe consequences.
Increased Danger of COVID-19
During a normal year, hurricanes threaten evacuation centers and shelters with disease outbreak due to the close nature of the spaces and surrounding unsafe environmental conditions. In the era of COVID-19, this presents an even larger threat. This August, as Texas and Louisiana braced for Hurricane Laura, many of their seasonal routines had an entirely different landscape: the apocalyptic grocery store clean-out was slowed down as a result of social distancing. While stores were not at normal capacity, the nature of the disaster did call for quick action. The six-feet distancing recommendations and masks could only do so much to protect people, as the more time individuals had to spend waiting in line and moving around the store could have led to increased risk of exposure to COVID-19 (Mostafavi, 2020).
Further, as storms approach, individuals who were isolating in at-risk areas face grave decisions. On one hand, do they take the risk of evacuating, possibly exposing their loved ones and others to COVID-19? Or, do they remain in place, putting themselves at risk of being in unsafe environmental conditions, without power and access to resources for an indefinite period of time? Emergency shelters seem like a suitable alternative, however, the reality of the COVID-19 pandemic is this will simply put more individuals at risk. Local officials and many civilians have been working to help design safe solutions to protect those impacted by these storms.
My take and what you can do to help
The impact of hurricane season is gargantuan: not only does it endanger the lives of many, it can deteriorate the quality of life for many months and years to follow. While for some, hurricanes are nothing more than a headline on the news for a few days, those who directly experience the disaster can carry the trauma with them long after the storm.
In 2018, Hurricane Florence ravaged my hometown of Wilmington, NC. While the storm was in the national news for a few days, the impact lasted locally much longer. Areas of town were without power and working traffic lights for weeks, schools were closed for months, with grocery stores literally being the only place one could go, if there was any food left. Small businesses that faced property damage may never be able to recover from the damage, homes were destroyed and some were never rebuilt. Suddenly the houses individuals had poured their savings into were gone, the cars they spent years saving for slammed down by a tree, and the fruits of their hard work were taken away within an instant. In addition to massive external damage, buildings can go unchecked and have increased risk of mold. Hurricanes force people to stop thinking about how they want to live their life, and force them to focus on just surviving. This is similar to the effect COVID-19 has had on many populations.
Now more than ever is the time to advocate for others, stay informed, and stay empathetic. One large aspect of hurricanes often that is not addressed is the adverse effects it has on mental health. Be an advocate and a support system for others. Simply taking the time to listen can reduce stress and help someone to get their life back after a disaster. If able, donating to impacted areas through organizations including the Red Cross, the Salvation Army are great ways to help. Depending on your location, volunteering with organizations like Habitat with Humanity to rebuild communities or donating blood can also help as hospital work to aid those who faced injury during the storm are invaluable ways you can help with recovery efforts. No matter what, staying proactive in being informed can help to minimize the impact of these public health disasters, improve community preparedness, and help make change.
References
Clause, S. (2020, August 30). Hurricane Laura damage: Photos show destruction left by Category 4 storm in Louisiana. https://www.theadvertiser.com/picture-gallery/news/2020/08/27/hurricane-laura-landfall-damage-photos-louisiana-pictures-destruction-update/5625159002/
Kumler, L. (2017). Health Hazards after a Hurricane (956601279 744990993 V., Ed.). https://www.visualdx.com/visualdx-blog/health-hazards-after-a-hurricane
Mostafavi, A. (2020, August 27). Hurricanes and Wildfires Are Compounding COVID-19 Risks.https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/hurricanes-and-wildfires-are-compounding-covid-19-risks/
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