The country's health workers—the doctors, nurses, medical technologists and others in the field—have been working hard during these extraordinary times. Every day, they expose themselves to risk.
Some have contracted COVID-19 and are valiantly fighting it. Some, tragically, have passed on. Their colleagues, albeit fearful, carry on the heroic work. We thank them profusely.
Today we also thank other frontliners who also go to work every day despite the threat of infection, just so the rest of us can comfortably sit through this quarantine.
They include janitors in hospitals and other establishments, security guards, bank tellers, store attendants and cashiers, delivery people who transport food and supplies, vendors and others.
Government officials who crave attention and recognition dare compare themselves to these workers, but they are not of the same level.
These workers do not come to work just on days when it is convenient or beneficial for them to show up.
They do not have to hold up a crude banner to advertise what they do. Their mere presence against all odds—aside from the very real health risk, they have to deal with physical exhaustion, meager wages and the absence of public transportation, as opposed to the chauffeured lawmakers with fat paychecks—tells us they are the real deal.
We do not know yet how long we will be in quarantine. While we commit to do our share by limiting physical movement to essentials and by taking care of our health, we rest assured that there are genuine warriors out there who have our best interest at heart.
