These mornings when I peer down into my courtyard I see certain people leaving their homes. The nurse on the floor below me, the cleaner in third, the youngster who operates the cash register at the grocery store. They gather by the bus stop, six feet apart, and head to work. They are the designated “vital workforce” in the corona pandemic.
The rest of us, who have jobs that do not require uniforms and assigned shifts, have the privilege to remain safe in our homes.
This morning routine is now a global occurrence, as governments across the world have divided the workforce in two. Professionals who do not perform critical functions in society must stay at home to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The rest must keep working to prevent society from collapsing. US authorities have identified one fourth of the workforce as “essential”. The British government calls them “key workers”.
