The Unseen Frontline
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic that started in early 2020 has been one of the most deadly and widespread disease outbreaks since the H1N1 pandemic of 2009. While many countries went into lockdown and people quarantined in their homes, there were people working on the frontlines, fighting against the deadly virus. Medical professionals worked night in and night out to save patients, while battling protective equipment shortages and the virus themselves. The virus is still here, reaching daily highs of infections and hospitalizations in the United States and these doctors and nurses are still fighting the virus.
These people are heroes, but what about those we don’t recognize or know about? There are many who are also on the frontline fighting this pandemic but have little to no media coverage. Because of this, we decided to create a documentary that highlights these forgotten heroes of the pandemic. Two specific groups we wanted to highlight were environmental service workers at hospitals and lab technicians who both play very important roles in fighting COVID but are not recognized like the doctors and nurses.
After interviewing multiple lab technicians and environmental services workers, we wanted to present the stories of those who work to fight the COVID pandemic to raise awareness for those who fight to keep us safe but have been overlooked by the media and general public. Seeing news stories on doctors and nurses constantly on TV made us think about who else is fighting the pandemic, and who might be left behind. Creating this documentary has not been easy, but we know that it is worth it to bring awareness for the unseen frontline.
Video
References
Baldwin, Angela N. “Lab Workers Are Unseen Warriors Fighting the Coronavirus.” ABC News. ABC News Network, April 4, 2020. https://abcnews.go.com/Health/lab-workers-unseen-warriors-fighting-coronavirus/story?icccccccd=69962475 (Links to an external site.).
Brown, Nick, and Kristina Cooke. “In Fight for Masks, Hospital Janitors Sometimes Come Last.” Reuters. Thomson Reuters, April 6, 2020.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-housekeepers/in-fight-for-masks- (Links to an external site.)hospital-janitors-sometimes-come-last-idUSKBN21O2JF.
Garcia, Laura. “Lab Techs Endure Supply Shortages, Long Hours during Pandemic.” mySA. Express-News, August 21, 2020. https://www.mysanantonio.com/sa-inc/article/Medical-lab-workers-cope-with-pressure-strain-of-15493844.php.
Jarman, Josh, and Roland Wilkerson. “The Other COVID-19 ‘Front Lines’: Hospital Housekeeping.” Novant Health | Healthy Headlines. Novant , April 8, 2020. https://www.novanthealth.org/healthy-headlines/the-other-covid-19-front-lines-hospital-housekeeping.
Tribune, Edgar Walters | Texas. “How Years Of Underfunding Public Health Left Texas Ill-Prepared For The Pandemic.” KERA News. Texas Tribune, September 17, 2020. https://www.keranews.org/news/2020-09-17/how-years-of-underfunding-public-health-left-texas-ill-prepared-for-the-pandemic.