In these tumultuous times, I’ve managed to get an insight into life at the front lines of a key worker, shop assistant Harry McClean. He uncovers in this interview his experience of the coronavirus and what it means to him to be able to keep on working in the face of adversity.
Welcome, Harry. I’m going to start off by asking: what motivated you to go out and find a job despite all the health risks involved?
I just wanted to do my bit. The financial aspects were enticing, but I really wanted to try and support the community. I wanted to help out as much as I could, especially as my youth gives me heightened immunity against the disease compared to some other people. Every little helps! (Harry is a Tesco’s worker).
What are your thoughts on the government reaction? As a History and Politics student I expect you have some fairly unique insights as to how this is being dealt with.
3 phases:
Firstly, the apathy phase, where the government did next to nothing. In this phase, many football games went ahead despite Italy’s warnings. I expect evidence will show how neglectful the government was in this phase.
Secondly, the ‘well-presented school uniform’ phase. This ‘Blair-right’ emphasis on presentation, with daily news conferences merges with what appeared to be effective policies, for which the government deserve credit.
Unfortunately, we are now in the ‘deer in the headlights’ third phase. Here you a have a government leader (Dominic Raab) with little authority of his own whilst problems mount over lack of PPE, questions multiply as to when and how the lockdown will end, the Labour Party has rediscovered the art of how to pressurise effectively and devolved administrations are setting out their own agenda- all whilst the death toll mounts. It’ll be interesting to see if BoJo’s return on Monday brings any respite, and if his highly thought of leadership skills (in his own mind at least) bear fruit!
Indeed! What more can the government do to help?
No doubt the lockdown strategy is correct regarding the lockdown but (am I’m not alone in saying this- devolved administrators, some European leaders, The Labour Party and some Conservative “bigwigs” concur) we do need “to be treated as adults”. That means integrity and honesty about PPE shortages and testing deficits, and evolution beyond the “5 steps” for what a future exit from lockdown might look like.
The government has resources it is not utilising- testing capacity in a day is often double the number of tests actually committed (the deficit referred to above) whilst I’m one of the 750,000 to have signed up for the NHS GoodSam volunteering app: but a month later both myself and the overwhelming majority over 95% (at time of speaking) of volunteers have received no tasks!
What are the highlights and lowlights of the job? How do these differ from normal times?
The kit, protocol, new queuing places. People also seem more uptight, some real characters come into this store, some of them are very frustrated about the new way of life. However, others are lovely, and are very grateful for the extra effort us key workers are putting in. It’s very rewarding to know I’m part of the solution to people’s worries.
Would you recommend this experience to others? Does it give you a new perspective on life?
Obviously I wouldn’t recommend an epidemic! But I think it’s important to look for the lights in the clouds. It’s important to help where you can, in a coronavirus epidemic as in life.
Madeleine McClean
