![]() The work places a relatively low physical burden on her, and right before the commotion from the novel coronavirus began, the woman felt she had finally found some stability in her life again.īut at the end of March, she cautioned a customer, who lines up at the shop each morning, for repeatedly buying goods that shoppers are only allowed to buy in limited amounts. She also works at the stores late into the night, and remains there after they close to do stock arrangements and other duties. The woman began working at two drugstores, starting in the early hours and working through the morning. The woman described often working in rooms with no windows, and instances where break rooms would heave with many others taking a rest at the same time. She said that the conditions at those one-off jobs were dangerous for often being consistent with the "three Cs" of confined spaces, crowded places and close contact with people, all states that the government advises are most conducive to infection. When she worked at the factory of a large cosmetics firm, she would put stickers on products, taking extra special care that there were no bends or blemishes when doing so. She would carry sheets of products ordered for delivery and run around the warehouse looking for the corresponding goods. ![]() Although continuing to teach dance lessons, she also signed up with a company for temporary dispatch workers, and began working countless different part-time roles.Īt one point, the woman worked in a huge warehouse used by a major clothes and daily products maker. But her concerns were replaced with a fear that many other people in Japan must be experiencing the same circumstances.įor years, the woman had worked in professions relating to the stage, but around five years ago she developed a serious condition in her legs, and her income from her main occupation fell. Fortunately, she recovered from her ailment while taking over-the-counter medicine, leading her to think that it had probably just been a cold. The woman continued working without mentioning her symptoms to her employer. Long lines of customers are seen outside a pharmacy in Musashino, Tokyo, on March 5, 2020. But she decided to keep her fears quiet, because airing them would have caused her earnings to disappear, and they could lead to the store having to be closed for a period. The woman developed a slight fever and a cough which persisted for four to five days, and the thought that it might be a coronavirus infection crossed her mind. It was in the midst of this rush that the woman realized that she was starting to feel sick. Although signs at the shop indicated each customer could only buy one of some products, some people would still try to line up repeatedly to get at the goods. While waiting in line, some customers would push employees to tell them how much of a certain item was still available, and some made their rage known to the store's manager. With each passing day, customers would become angrier, with some pressing staff with questions as to why certain goods were out of stock, with some even accusing workers of hiding the products. As long as the government doesn't provide cash benefits for everyone, there's no point in the state of emergency declaration."Īs coronavirus infections became widespread in in March, long lines began forming each morning in front of the pharmacy where the woman worked. Speaking to the Mainichi Shimbun, she spoke in detail about her difficulties and sense of crisis, saying, "There have to be many people just like me. Although she felt unwell in March, the woman continued to work out of fear of losing her job, and resolved to hide her infection if she had contracted the novel coronavirus. One of them is a 61-year-old woman who is employed part-time at two drugstores in Tokyo. ![]() 【Related】East Japan high schoolers strike to protest school reopening amid virus pandemic.【Related】1/2 of one-parent families in Japan see income drop amid pandemic: NPO survey.【Related】Japan gov't wary of nightlife workers leaving big cities, leading to new virus clusters.
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