It is still that time of the year when most people are all jovial and excited about the festive season, a time of sharing and reconnecting with family, for some, duty calls. This is the second Covid-19 hampered festive year where big gatherings and celebrations are restricted and people have to comply with preventive measures to curb the spread of the highly infectious Omicron variant. However, amidst these restrictions, there are various ways to enjoy the festive season. For some professions, however, work does not stop when everyone else is on holiday. The New Times outlines some seven professions that never go on holidays. 1. Doctors in emergency services Hospitals are ever open institutions, emergency cases rise every now and then. And especially during festive seasons, it is when doctors deal with food intoxication, accidents, and other emergency cases. Dr. Maxime Umubonwa worked this Christmas at Rwanda Military Hospital and she says that the fact that this is a festive season does not affect the way she delivers her services. “It’s work as usual. Moreover, it is special in a way of celebrating Christmas with patients by showing them that even though they are in a hospital, it is not the end of the world,” she said. 2. Security personnel Security is always a priority. We all have to be on our guard and the festive season is no exemption. The Rwanda Defence Force, the Rwanda National Police, the District Administration Security Support Organ (DASSO), and the private security firms among others are always on their watch to ensure maximum security in the country. Particularly now when curfew time is 10 pm, road safety is at the forefront of the players in the security sector. 3. Public transport operators Peoples mobility remains essential during this period. Buses, taxi motos, taxi cars and rental cars are still operational even on holidays. During festive season, there is a lot of inter-district movement especially for people going upcountry. However, it should be noted that there are Covid-19 preventive measures put in place whereby passengers will have to show their vaccination status to be allowed to move from Kigali to other districts in buses. A USSD *114# has been set up to help view the passengers’ vaccination certificates through mobile phones 4. Journalists There are different news to report about on a daily basis, hence journalists are always on duty. Information is key and when people are on holiday, they look forward to reading, listening to new trends and news about the happenings around them. 5. Utility service providers Public and private organisations that provide utility services such as availing electricity, gas, water, or sewerage have to be on duty in festive seasons just like other days. To ensure their maintenance at all times. 6. Telecom companies Of course, communication is a key player during these Covid-19 holidays. For a number of people such as the ones in quarantine or for families that are miles apart, telecom firms play a vital role in keeping them connected with loved ones. Moreover, this is a season where a lot of transactions are made and in case of network issues, someone has to be one call away to respond to any complaint and for maintenance purposes. 7. Gravediggers Reality is that as much as it is a happy season, some people might be going through a painful period of loss. And this does not announce beforehand nor can the burial be postponed until the festivities are over. Elise Ntirenganya, a worker at Rusororo Cemetery said that they can’t deny burial services to people who need them regardless of the season. Happy festive season to all people who are on duty.
