No one in their wildest dreams would have imagined the way 2020 turned out to be. The world witnessed a pandemic after almost a hundred years, the last one being the 1 18 Spanish flu pandemic. Even though lockdown measures were implemented and businesses being asked to close down to control the spread of the disease, there were certain professionals that couldn’t be asked to take a hiatus. These professionals were vital in the fight against COVID to ensure that we give a befitting reply to the virus. Their professional duties put them at risk of contracting the disease. Similarly, since the lockdown has been lifted, and businesses have resumed operations, people in certain sectors face more risk of contracting the virus. In this blog, we have discussed six such professions that are the most-riskiest during these turbulent times.
Healthcare Workers
In these times of the pandemic, hospitals are flooded with infected patients. Health care workers are at the front line of defense against the spread of Covid-19 infection among communities. These include specialized healthcare professionals, including ENT doctors, pediatricians and surgeons, nursing staff, and other hospital employees. Being in direct contact with patients increases the risk of catching the virus. The major factors include a lack of understanding of the virus, insufficient use of PPE kits, and unsure diagnostic tests.
Healthcare workers have, thus, become an easy and common target for the virus. Similarly, a stressful environment, long working hours, and isolation can lead to mental health issues. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that according to the World Economic Forum analysis, in terms of professions, dentists are at the highest risk of being exposed to the virus.
Law Enforcers
During the coronavirus crisis, law enforcement agencies are responsible for coordinating with government and public health officials. They were tasked to contain the spread of the virus, serving the local community, and maintaining public order. Since the virus is known to spread through respiratory droplets, law enforcement officers are also at a heightened risk. These professionals are in close contact with the public. They will most likely encounter an infected individual on duty. Similarly, they can also experience considerable stress like healthcare workers. There are similar factors at play here such as increased work pressure, long working hours, and work obligations.
Lab Technicians
Lab technicians play a major role in the detection of the virus. This also puts them at an increased risk of contracting the infection. They are not only facing the fear of interacting with the virus but also termination and financial challenges. The outbreak has, no doubt, overburdened the already vulnerable lab technicians. Then, there are extra challenges like issues related to transportation, lack of PPE kits, lack of knowledge about handling the virus samples, and delayed shipments of essential supplies.
Firefighters
They are at a greater risk of contracting the virus than police officers. There are many factors behind this. Firstly, they eat, live, and spend an ample amount of time together at the fire station between emergency calls. Secondly, the lockdown had forced people to start home cooking, which led to an increase in fire incidents. This resulted in them coming in contact with more people, increasing their risk of being infected. Thus, many firehouses have now made it mandatory for firefighters to undergo daily temperature checks before and after their shifts.
Flight Attendants
As per a study, flight attendants are at the highest risk of being exposed to the virus, after medical and healthcare professionals. The governments were slow in restricting flights during the onset of the virus. This resulted in flight attendants and other employees in the aviation industry coming in close contact with infected people.
Similarly, since flight operations have resumed, there have been various instances of passengers refusing to comply with the precautionary measures such as wearing a mask or a face shield during their commute, which again increases the risk of contracting the virus.
Hospitality Workers
The hospitality industry was shut down for months due to the pandemic. However, limited operations have since resumed. Hospitality workers come in close contact with other employees as well as with customers. This makes their job one of the riskiest during the pandemic. The food prep and serving workers, like chefs and waiters, are at the greatest risk of being exposed to the virus.
The pandemic has had us witness unprecedented times. However, slowly but surely, we are fighting and winning the war against the virus. With vaccines being developed and administered to people across the globe, it won’t be long before we triumph over the disease and return to our normal lives.
