The Expendable Essentials

Under lock and key. Seems a fitting way to sum up the collective policy of the western world in handling the spread of the Wuhan Virus. Shut down, stay indoors, close down anything but the life support functions of society. Embed within people the urgency of Social Distancing. Effectively kick the ladder out from under the spreading disease. Cut off the ways of transmission. Which seems like a plausible strategy, if we’re to judge from the South Korean and Singapore examples.

While the Wuhan Virus in most cases just presents like a mild cold, or even asymptomatic, it most definitely has lethal potential. Mostly to the old. Or those that have already compromised their health, like smokers. But also, strangely enough, to some of our youngest, whose immune system seems to be sent into complete overdrive as a response to the disease.

So, to protect our eldest from this new threat, the world closes down. Borders are shut. Travel is restricted. Events and venues, ranging from festivals to restaurants to retail and hotels, are shut down. All to prevent the spread. Public gatherings are outlawed, with Germany and the UK leading the charge by limiting congregations of more than two people by threat of fines. The quarantine is nearly universal. Global. People should stay at home, work from home or lose their jobs, not see each other, and just hold on until the flu passes.

But there’re exceptions, aren’t there? There are always exceptions. Just as the general population is asked and required to follow social distancing guidelines, another set of people are demanded to break protocol. Our doctors, nurses, transportation workers, infrastructure technicians, in some countries also our teachers. All of whom are exempted from the sometimes draconian measures of Social Distancing. Because they have been deemed “Essential”.

At first, it felt validating. To know that one is indispensable to the workings of society. Despite sometimes being low-paid, already exhausted from mismanaged work-loads, or marginalized and looked down upon, it’s nice for the world to realise just how important, nay; fundamental, you are.

Until you realise that the validation you just got is attached to a callous disregard whether you live or die as a result of your tireless work.

Essential Service Workers, doctors or teachers, or nurses or transportation workers or grocery employees, are all forced or required or strongly encouraged to keep society afloat, while the rest of the population hunkers down. Yet, these same Essential Service Workers are denied or refused proper gear to protect themselves. In some states, it has even gone so far that retired health care workers are being pushed to return to work. Retired health care workers, whom I might add, are in exactly the group most at risk of having fatal consequences if infected.

Statistical analysis out of hard-hit Italy seems to suggest that continued exposure to the virus might even raise the risk of dire complications. But do any of these ”essential” people receive proper protection to do their job? No, largely they don’t. The free market has run out of essential protection, so there’s none to be had without paying ”too much” for it. Doctors and nurses recycle one-time-use masks, or go without, wearing the same depleted protective gear for days, weeks, months. Work until exhaustion clocks them out, cowering in corners or stacked together on any flat surface theyr can find. And that’s just for the health care workers. All the other essentials? They’re left to wrapping their faces with scarves, or stuck with depleting bottles of hand sanitizers.

It’s nice to be needed. When a government or a company for years have been undermining your sense of self worth with inhumane schedules or meagre pay, it’s nice to for once be told that life wouldn’t work without you. But do you know what’s not as nice? Be told that you’re not only essential, but also expendable. Because that’s what governments say that you are, when they push you to continue to work without providing you with other ways than isolation to protect yourself. They tell you that you’re expendable. More expendable than the non-essential business executives, lawyers, insurance salesmen, bankers, politicians, et. al., that are all oh so important to protect, shut away as they are in ivory towers to await the passing of the storm.

Because even in an equal society, some are more equal than others. And as it turns out, some people in society are more important to protect than others. Even when those ”others” are considered ”essential”.

/Sebastian Lindberg 7/4-2020