Duty-bound: essential workers in service to the nation
Shane Charles, 19, a staff member of Andrew's Supermarket
Shane Charles, 19, a staff member of Andrew's Supermarket

THROUGHOUT Guyana and across the world, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continues to discompose households and lives in ways never imagined before. Members of society have had to adapt to life with the deadly virus, and come to terms with the knowledge that its eradication may not be soon.
Among these are those workers providing their services on the ‘frontlines’; they are supermarket workers, police officers, and vehicle drivers, who have all given their accounts of adapting to life with COVID-19.

“We were always protected, wearing masks, sanitising regularly, and so on. Every day I come to work, I know people are infected, but we are protected. We use our masks, hand sanitiser and stuff like that. I wasn’t worried about contracting the virus,” Shane Charles, a member of staff of Andrew’s Supermarket recalled.
“I knew I was protected, using my mask and sanitising and keeping my distance. For the past few days, there were a lot of customers, but last year there was only a little bit, because people were scared to pick up the virus,” the 19-year-old concluded.

Tisha Harry, 22, of the same establishment, detailed difficulty in restocking, due to delays in the shipment of goods; delays she said were increased with the advent of COVID-19.
“It’s been really difficult, because sometimes we’re out of stock, and customers want certain things. When they have to get these things, sometimes because of COVID our shipments are delayed, and we have to wait long periods of time before we get goods.”

The young woman expressed an initial fear for her life, after a distant family member contracted the virus and subsequently succumbed.
“I was very afraid to come to work, because one of my relatives contracted COVID-19, and she died, so me coming out my comfort zone to come to work has really been a struggle. Sometimes, I don’t even want to get up to come to work,” Harry said.

Although she was worried about her wellbeing, and that of her family, her concern did not seem to be a popular sentiment, which was particularly distressing for her.
“Guyana didn’t seem to be on lockdown, because everything was running like normal, and you know, cases would keep climbing despite restrictions and curfews and so on. People would still keep parties, still keep liming and going on as usual. A lot of people don’t seem to care about the virus, some people don’t believe the virus is real, and all of that. But it’s really serious,” she said.

UNNERVING
Although not recognised as frontline workers, taxi and minibus drivers have worked through the lockdown, a feat which one taxi driver, who declined to give his name, described as ‘unnerving’.
“I was afraid of people; coming into contact with them particularly. Because of COVID, you don’t know who got what, so you can’t take a chance out here, you don’t know who’s infected, who might be sick. People are refusing to sanitise their hands; you have to remind them. To be interacting with people day to day and then go home to my family was stressful, because I didn’t want to be putting them in danger,” the driver related.

Going about business day to day, the driver detailed, helped him to feel more at ease despite the obvious concern of contracting the virus, adding that the ease of COVID-19 restrictions has helped him to earn more per day.

“Right now, I think business is good. With more people coming out to work and school and so, they travelling in taxis, because the risk of getting the virus in public transportation—buses and so—is very great.”

While these persons were in constant contact with members of the public, and expressed fear of contracting the virus, as well as impact on business activity, vendors in the vicinity of Stabroek market did not echo this sentiment.

NORMAL
“Business went on like normal,” expressed one of the elderly vendors, who sells fruits and vegetables near the Route 50 bus park. “A lot of we didn’t really feel the effects of the virus like people said. People come and they buy and they go. Couple times you had people that didn’t want certain vegetables and so but that’s it. We didn’t have no difficulty.”
“Me, personally, I didn’t went touching-touching nobody. As long as they didn’t touch me and they wear their mask I good,” another vendor said.

Although some members of the Guyana Police Force were hesitant to speak, one member expressed her confidence that as long as persons abided by the gazetted COVID-19 guidelines, she would be safe, and therefore there was no significant reason for her to worry.

“I travel from Parfaite Harmonie to work every day, and often I have to take public transportation. Initially, I was scared of the idea of being around people, because of COVID and so, but I know that once I sanitise and wear my mask and social distance when I can, I should be okay,” the sprightly young woman asserted.

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