Thank-you note goes out to all in pandemic’s wake

Thank-you notes are a lost art. While handwritten ones are preferred, there are too many people to thank right now to send them all handwritten thank-you notes. They’ll just have to settle for this editorial instead.

Thank you, health care workers, for everything you’ve done for us in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thank you for leaving the safety of your homes every day to go to possibly the worst place to be in a pandemic. An extra special thank you to the ones who haven’t had contact with their families for fear of spreading the virus. We see how hard this has been on all of you, and we appreciate your sacrifice. Thank you for your work to keep us safe and healthy.

P.S.: To all the non-medical staff reporting for work at hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities, etc., thank you, too. You are important and you are essential. Thank you for keeping our systems running and our facilities clean so the medical personnel can focus on healing and treating people.

Thank you, first responders, for continuing to show up at emergencies. Despite the world practically coming to a standstill, there are still medical emergencies, fires and, unfortunately, crime. Thank you for continuing to be there whenever we need you.

Thank you, service workers, for making sure the world doesn’t come to a full stop. There are too many of you to name, but some examples include grocery store staff, restaurant staff and delivery drivers. Thanks to you, people can still get food and personal items. Many don’t realize how vital you are. We just assume the shelves will always be stocked, and food we didn’t have to cook ourselves will always be available. Now, those givens are no longer certain — rather, they wouldn’t be, without you. Thank you for keep the world going.

Thank you, janitorial and cleaning staff everywhere, for working extra hard to keep us safe. In the wake of this invisible threat, you have become the new front line for protecting us. Most of the work you’ve done has been in the background, something the rest of us take for granted. Now, your work is at the forefront of everyone’s minds as we take our own steps to slow the spread of germs. So thank you for your work today and every day.

Thank you to news staff across the country, but especially here. All of you, from reporters to copyeditors, from ad reps to circulation to the pressroom and everyone in between. Thank you for continuing to keep the public informed.
Thank you to all the helpers — you know who you are. You are the light shining in this darkness.
Thank you to everyone who has worked from home, practiced social distancing and proper hand-washing and otherwise done their best to slow the spread of coronavirus.
Thank you to everyone who is doing everything they can to keep us afloat during such uncertain times. There are too many of you to name here, but know that you are appreciated. Stay safe, everyone.