Disinfecting After Work

Ritual
Disinfecting After Work

Ross Johnson
Chicago, Illinois
2020

Informant Data:
Ross Johnson is a Caucasian, middle-aged father of one who lives in Chicago, Illinois. He is the manager of a meat packing plant where he works Monday through Friday every week. Even when many businesses closed, his meat packing plant stayed open with social distancing measures in place. Having to go out five out of seven days a week, even in lieu of stay-at-home orders, there were concerns that he could become infected, or have the virus on his clothes and bring it home to his family. To prevent this to the best of his ability, he did his best to make sure that he was disinfected when he got home, before ever actually stepping foot into his house.

Contextual Data:
The global pandemic that has been plaguing our world since the beginning of the year has led to stay-at-home orders in almost every state, and social distancing restrictions across the globe. Many businesses were forced to close their doors for the time being, unless they were deemed essential. Ross Johnson’s meat packing plant was allowed to stay open as long as they took the appropriate measures such as wearing masks the entirety of the time and staying socially distanced.

Item:
Being able to continue working through the pandemic has been a real blessing, but also means that I have an increased risk of exposure to coronavirus. The last thing I want to do is accidentally bring it home with me and infect my wife or daughter, so whenever I get home I follow the same routine to make sure I’m completely clean and disinfected before going into my house. As soon as I get home from work, I stand in the garage while my wife sprays me down with industrial strength disinfectant. Then I leave my work clothes in the garage and go hop in the shower. After all of that I feel much more comfortable being around my family so I make sure that I follow this routine every single time I come home from work.

Isaac Hanover, 20
533 Homestead Drive
Lima, Ohio, 45807
Dartmouth College
RUSS 13
Spring 2020

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