This weekend as I consume the latest COVID developments and reflect on many of the devastating impacts, I find myself focusing on a specific byproduct of this mess: the layoffs.

It is hard to not feel discouraged about the many thousands of people losing their jobs as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. These people are out of work due to absolutely no fault of their own. Most are outstanding employees who have had the proverbial rug pulled from underneath them. It is not fair.

It goes without saying that the impact is not industry-specific; rather, the ramifications seem to terrorize every line of work, including higher education digital marketers. But perhaps the biggest irony and kick to the gut is that healthcare workers, the folks who are most needed to battle this pandemic, are especially vulnerable to furloughs and layoffs. How is this possible?

Well, it happens when a once-in-a-lifetime deadly virus wreaks havoc on the world. The disease itself is just the tip of the iceberg as the trickle-down effect negatively upends many other aspects of life, including employment.

During this time I am thankful for my job but also very sad for those who have been let go. Again, their misfortune has been completely out of their control. I believe we need to do our individual part to help those out of work. Whether that be recommending them for other jobs, sending them a restaurant gift card, or just offering a word of encouragement, let’s take the time to reach out to those who have had their occupations disrupted.

Also, let’s make sure we continue to pray for a swift end to the coronavirus. Hopefully we will continue to make gains over this next week. Don’t Blink.