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Essential workers during COVID-19 A worker’s struggle with the pandemic

Story/K.Pierce Pictures/K. Pierce

You wake up to the sound of your alarm, you get up, get dressed grab your mask and head out the door. You arrive at work when a thought hits you… “I know I’m putting myself at risk to get COVID-19 but someone needs to do this job, let’s hope everyone will follow the mask mandate”. You get out of your car and head in. While heading in you already see people either not wearing masks or wearing them wrong and you sigh, “Here we go again.” It is too dangerous for students to go to school, but they are still risking getting COVID-19 from work. Workers also have to worry about how the customers will act during COVID-19, with the mask mandates and social distancing.

Wearing a mask is so important, especially if you must go out while sick. Masks catch the respiratory droplets when someone coughs, sneezes, or even talks. So, if someone were sick, not wearing a mask and talking to someone then they would, more than likely, spread the virus to them. A mask may not catch everything, but it helps a lot. “When I see someone walk into the store with a mask on sometimes, I’ll see them later with their mask off. When people do that it disappoints me so much, sometimes it feels like no one’s taking this seriously and it stresses me out, like there’s a mask mandate for a reason,” essential worker James Miller said.

Social distancing is also important. When someone has COVID-19 and they cough, sneeze, or talk, it can spread about six feet. Therefore, to distance yourself six or more feet would also help with the COVID-19 spread. It’s important to social distance and wear a mask just to be safe.

“I feel like people don’t do social distancing as much as putting on the masks. An example I’ve seen in my workplace is people ignoring the arrows that we’ve put on the floor for the isles, it is very annoying when I see people do that,” essential worker Emma Jones said.

Respect the workers.

“In general, I think people need to be taking this more serious than they are. Start wearing masks, social distancing, and following the rules the stores have put up for our (essential workers) and your safety,” Essential worker Bella Ellison said. Covid-19 By The Numbers Worldwide

Cases:

One million on April, 3rd, 2020 Five million on May, 22nd, 2020 10 million on June, 29th, 2020 15 million on July, 23, 2020 20 million on August, 11th, 2020 25 million on August, 30th, 2020 30 million September, 18th, 2020 35 million on October, 5th, 2020

Deaths:

50,000 on April, 1st, 2020 100,000 on April, 9th, 2020 200,000 April, 24th, 2020 300,000 May, 12th, 2020 400,000 Jun, 4th, 2020 500,000 Jun, 25th, 2020 600,000 July, 15th, 2020 700,000 August, 2nd, 2020 800,000 August, 19th, 2020 900,000 September, 6th, 2020 1 million September, 25th, 2020