Chicagoans on what workplaces can do to make them feel safe going back to the office amid the coronavirus pandemic

Thoroughly clean and sanitize. Pay for Ubers so public transit can be avoided. Nothing but allowing workers to continue to work remotely and waiting for a vaccine.

By Sun-Times staff

Tasha Robinson working in a face mask at the the SkyART studio in South Chicago.

With the city of Chicago moving ahead in the reopening process amid the coronavirus pandemic and Chicagoans once again venturing out to restaurants, parks and other public places, returning to the office could be right around the corner for many.

So we asked readers what their workplaces can do to make sure they feel safe returning after months of working from home. Some answers have been condensed and lightly edited for clarity.

“Nothing right now. When you work in buildings like One Two Pru, it’s hard to feel safe when it comes to a pandemic. You have more than just your workspace to worry about. You also have to worry about commuting. You have people not only from the city commuting to work but also the suburbs, and most people on my team don’t feel safe to commute on public transportation at the moment. There’s no guarantee where your coworkers have been and who they’ve been in contact with. It feels very unsafe to return until there’s a legitimate safe vaccine for everyone.” — Amber Nicole Alvarado

“In my opinion, just proper sanitation. I would hate to see my students wearing masks and not being able to go within six feet of their friends.” — Emily Sanchez

“It’s not my office that’s unsafe, it’s how I get there. I refuse to take the CTA downtown. If my boss wants me in our office, he will have to pay for my Ubers there and back. Otherwise, I will continue to work from home.” — @TapiaJamie101 on Twitter

“Actually clean and sanitize.” — @4Laski on Twitter