2020 introduced many of us to the words "essential employee." You could argue that any job is essential to the employee. There's also the question of what jobs are actually essential. Some I feel are obvious: healthcare workers, first responders, grocery store employees. etc. Other "essential" jobs you can argue are anything but. Like politicians, and Facebook "fact" checkers. Millions and millions of American workers found themselves deemed "non-essential." Mostly at the whim of elected officials in 2020. Mike Rowe is concerned.
This doesn't question the data behind COVID or the use of masks. Rowe isn't challenging "science" or "experts." But I feel he has an important point. One you could say is — wait for it — essential.