Social distancing. We’ve all heard about how it is the greatest line of protection from the coronavirus.
Everywhere I look on social media, someone is posting about social distancing, and it’s usually a rant about people not doing it. I had a real honest moment the other night when I read a post from a friend describing her daughter’s fears after being diagnosed with COVID-19. I feel as if before I go on that I ought to warn you that the word “privilege” is going to be used, and I feel as if a warning is needed because that word grates on people.
Well, that’s not entirely true either; let me rephrase that to say that the word “privilege” mostly grates on people who have it. So, here’s my disclaimer: There is nothing wrong with having privilege, but there is everything wrong with having it and remaining ignorant as to what’s going on around you with the people who don’t. Now that I have gotten that out of the way, let’s continue.
Anyone can catch the virus. It doesn’t discriminate, but it does have to gain access to spread, and there is a reason why infections such as this one are so detrimental to those with less privilege. The reason is that they don’t have the privilege of social distancing. Now that the virus has suddenly made the country realize that the essential employees are the ones on the frontlines, keeping the country moving during this pandemic, the less fortunate have the most to lose.
Can’t Stay Home
See, they don’t have the option of working from home. They only have the options of not working, causing enormous struggles for themselves and their families, or going to work and placing themselves right in the line of fire. Keep in mind that most of the essential jobs right now pay low wages and probably don’t offer benefits such as insurance or paid time off. And most of the essential employees I know have loved ones at home who are also put at risk every time there is a shift to be worked. They are probably more apt to visit fast food restaurants and convenience stores on their breaks, making for an even greater chance of spreading the virus.
The Economic Policy Institute put out a report last month and pointed out that “only 9.2 percent of workers in the lowest quartile of the wage distribution can telework, compared with 61.5 percent of workers in the highest quartile.” This, coupled with the fact that only 13 states and Washington, D.C., provide paid sick leave to employees, is a recipe for disaster. Blacks and Hispanics are even more at risk because of an even higher chance of working without paid sick leave than whites. There is also a great chance that a lot of these essential employees won’t qualify for unemployment because they may not work enough hours or earn enough money to qualify, which is a double whammy because they are probably the ones who get laid off because they can’t work at home.
It’s a circle of despair. Under these conditions, how are you supposed to social distance yourself to help prevent the spread of this virus when you’re forced to focus on surviving?
Blame Game
I know more people who are working right now than those who aren’t, and I think about them a lot. I know what my level of stress is, and I’m blessed to be able to work from home. I cannot imagine having to deal with the threat of spending hours upon hours coming into contact with the public and then coming home and reading over and over again how you’re to blame for the virus spreading if you don’t stay home. Sure, some people don’t mean this toward essential workers, but we often make statements without realizing who we’re talking to. This is particularly true when it comes to social media; how do you remember the hundreds of people on your friend’s list?
Add to it the stress of trying to get through this without becoming worse off, and it has to be difficult to mentally and emotionally manage. These are strange times we’re living in. Childcare centers are closed, and parents don’t want babysitters or their kids running back and forth, so what does that mean for the essential employees? What do you do if you have to choose between childcare and work? And what about the childcare workers? Heck, the majority of them make less than a livable wage, and now they’re in the unemployment line.
Post Pandemic
Everything is topsy turvy, and we’re being forced to look at our country in a different light. The cries for $15/ hour minimum wage, universal healthcare, and guaranteed sick leave aren’t such ridiculous asks now. I listened to a presidential candidate the other day state that when this pandemic is over and we’ve returned to living our lives that it’s going to be the perfect time for workers across the country to address these things.
He did add the word “dignified” to the end of that sentence as if to remind us to not get too loud or cause too much of a ruckus, but he understands that this national emergency has brought all of our largest inequities to light. If we are going to work toward a nation that can handle the next national emergency, then we need to start naming and addressing the disparities within our existing systems. And we need to stop blaming and shaming those that are doing what they have to do because they have no other choice.
Stay well. Wash your hands. And get ready to #rattlethewindows.
Onward,
Amy Jo
