The Country Won’t Work Without Them

As part of their “Heroes of the Front Lines” series, Time magazine’s article “The Country Won’t Work Without Them: 12 Stories of People Putting Their Lives on the Line to Help Others During Coronavirus” shares the testimonials of twelve frontline workers from around the world during the first wave of the pandemic. Although the term “frontline workers” often conjures up images of doctors in Hazmat suits or soldiers in uniforms, the pandemic also highlighted workers from diverse industries, including food service, public transportation, and community outreach programs.

American bus drivers like Andre Anglin of Ohio and Matt Monaghan of New York offer contrasting testimonies of their COVID experience, with Anglin expressing pride in helping to keep other essential services running, while Monaghan shares his fear of the danger he and his colleagues face due to those who don’t take the pandemic seriously. Many of the workers interviewed share similar trepidation about the future of the virus, particularly those in healthcare.

Senior resident medical officer at a hospital in Harare, Prince Paul Butau, bemoans the dysfunction of the Zimbabwean medical system, describing the lack of personal protective equipment for staff and voicing concerns over the possibility of the coronavirus bringing the chaos seen in Italy or the US to an already overburdened healthcare system. Another physician, New Yorker Dennis Canale, also fears for the future of the pandemic, acknowledging that the prevailing opinion among medical professionals is that working conditions will continue to deteriorate as the virus spreads and mutates. Yet he finds inspiration in the sacrifices essential workers make to protect their communities and keep society running. Luigi Cavanna, head of oncology at Guglielmo da Saliceto hospital in Piacenza, Italy, highlights pandemic innovation, describing his team’s strategy of coordinating house visits during the first wave to mitigate hospital overcrowding.

Testimonies from workers in social services, like Ben Davis of the Center for Urban Community Services in New York, reveal the extent of the pandemic’s damage, with already marginalized groups facing further instability and structural inequality. Hog farm worker Felipe (pseudonym for an undocumented worker) details the struggle of maintaining America’s food systems while balancing his health and financial stability. His wife’s experience as an undocumented worker underscores the importance of immigration reform, as many of the workers supporting the American economy lack status and the security of citizenship.

Despite their struggles as frontline workers, the testimonials highlight their commitment to supporting their communities and their pride in playing an important role during a time of national crisis. Their determination and strength reflect the collective unity of the early months of the coronavirus pandemic, when there was a strong sense of solidarity and fulfillment in being an essential worker.