8 Most Secure Jobs During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Even with vaccinations being rolled out, the threat of COVID-19 is still real and is still causing thousands of infections, particularly in the world’s largest countries. Nurses and physicians are still working round the clock to ensure the safety of not only those infected but the entire community. Additionally, with the risk nurses are placed in on a regular basis they usually receive full benefits from the health facilities they work in.

Nurses are some of the most qualified healthcare workers in the world. Even those who just graduated are already exposed to months, if not years, of hospital training. There shouldn’t be any question with regard to their skill which will only develop once they get more experience on the job.   

2. Physician

Common job responsibilities: perform diagnostic tests on patients, create individualized care plans, perform surgeries together with specialists, treat patients for both minor and major injuries

Average annual salary: $200,000 to $300,000

Much like nurses, the presence of physicians or licensed doctors is very much needed in this pandemic. Physicians, the highest paid professionals in the medical industry, take charge of surgeries and also make the final call when it comes to giving treatments to sick individuals. As previously mentioned, physicians work hand-in-hand with nurses to decrease the number of people getting sick as well as find solutions to ensure that people limit their hospital visits as much as possible.

Considered as one most secure jobs for the future even when the pandemic is contained, physicians are here to stay for decades to come. COVID isn’t the only disease that is present in the world and might not even be the last pandemic that billions of people will be exposed to. Heart disease, lung disease, cerebrovascular disease, Alzheimer's disease, and cancer are highly fatal diseases that still cause thousands of deaths around the world every single day. And there is no professional that can cure all these types of diseases than a physician.

3. Government employee

Common job responsibilities: deliver government-related services to local citizens, comply with agency-related laws, report suspicious actions that violate a law or regulation 

Average annual salary: $41,000 to $160,000

It is the job of the government to make sure the economy never fails. In this time of a pandemic and even during other national emergencies, both governments on a national and local level work tirelessly to make sure they attend to the needs of their constituents. Hence, people working in government are rarely faced with job dismissals or downsizing unless a new administration comes in and decides to replace current staff.

Government is essentially the lifeblood of any sovereign nation. Even if they are divided by branches and departments (for example, a department that only handles social welfare issues or a department that is specifically handling taxpayer money), they are all interconnected under one umbrella. One advantage that government employees hold compared to private sector employees is that they can get access to government benefits (financial aid, healthcare, housing, etc.) at any time. 

4. Veterinarian

Common job responsibilities: examine animals and check their health status, diagnose illnesses and provide the appropriate treatment, perform surgeries, perform vaccinations, spay and neuter cats and dogs if necessary

Average annual salary: $77,000 to $124,000

Much like physicians, veterinarians also work round the clock regardless if there’s COVID or not. Over the past few decades, pets have become mainstays in households and they also need to be tendered to if experience health issues. Emergencies cannot be prevented and veterinarians need to be available so that they can provide proper and potentially life-saving care to pets. 

Although there is no evidence that proves that animals can get COVID, they still can contract respiratory illnesses from various sources. The availability of home remedies may be effective on certain occasions, veterinarians are the only individuals that can provide the exact cure, usually 99% of the time. Skin allergies/infections, urinary tract diseases, dental diseases, chronic kidney diseases are just some of the medical conditions that pets (whether it be dogs or cats) suffer from. Although some are non-fatal, some can easily any animal in an instant. 

As for the actual profession of being an animal doctor, the rise of pet owners has also contributed to more people taking up a bachelor’s degree leading to a veterinary degree, specifically in America. There are currently around 70,000 veterinarians in the United States with the number seen to grow in the coming years. This has also led to the rise of pet-related services such as grooming and pet hotels which seems to be at the peak of their popularity. 

5. Pharmacist

Common job responsibilities: prepare and review medications for patients, dispense medications by labeling and packaging pharmaceuticals, monitor drug therapies, comply with state drug laws 

Average annual salary: $130,000 to $150,000

When it comes to other healthcare workers who have shown their importance in this time of a pandemic, pharmacists top the list. Although people mainly see them as the workers selling medicines, their jobs go beyond simply preparing and dispensing medications for sick people. Licensed pharmacists are knowledgeable of the drugs as well as the components of each drug sold in their stores. With this, they are able to give out correct doses to customers and also advise if doses need to be increased or decreased especially if a customer doesn’t have a prescription.   

People get sick every day and the first place they go to aside from the hospital is a pharmacy. With thousands of diseases any person can contract, the need for medications cannot be stressed enough. And pharmacists are the only ones who can give out these medications with the approval of physicians. Individuals who are not interested in nursing and physician careers often go with a pharmacist degree which isn’t a bad choice considering the salary these professionals earn every year.    

6. Lawyer

Common job responsibilities: counsel clients on legal matters, perform legal research, represent clients in different types of legal proceedings (criminal court, civil court, etc.), stay up to date on new laws and amendments 

Average annual salary: $120,000 to $180,000

Lawyers have remained active during the pandemic. This is because conflicts are still seen everywhere and no other persons aside from police/military personnel can de-escalate a problem and provide solutions at the same time. Additionally, court proceedings haven’t stopped even during COVID albeit some of these proceedings having been moved online. Without lawyers providing sound legal advice, the world would be a more chaotic place.  

There essentially lawyers for every field: business, government, medicine, sports, agriculture, etc. These professionals are called upon when someone or a group violates a law resulting in an oftentimes lengthy discussion where the other party needs to answer for the accusations thrown against them. Additionally, if the two parties both hire lawyers then the discussion stretches for even longer, oftentimes in years. This is where a court appearance will have to be required where the lawyers of both parties argue their case in front of a presiding judge.  

Lawyers are experts when it comes to legal matters; the more they are experienced and well-versed with the law, the higher the chances they can win a court proceeding or provide an acceptable settlement to their clients. Although it’s not mandatory for anyone to immediately seek legal advice when faced with a tough situation, finding a tried and tested lawyer makes the process an easier burden to bear.        

7. Teacher

Common job responsibilities: instruct in a variety of subjects and courses, prepare lesson plans and educate students at all levels, assign homework and conduct exams, document progress of students 

Average annual salary: $40,000 to $65,000

Online classes, whether it be for grade school, high school, college, or post-graduation, have become the only method for learning throughout the entirety of COVID-19. With schools closed to limit the spread of the virus, educators have moved classes online to continue providing students with valuable and inspiring education. It’s true that a good number of teachers and students have found it difficult to hold classes in front of a computer or electronic device, but it’s still impressive what they have managed to accomplish from home even during these tough times.

Even with difficulties, technology (thanks to people in tech jobs) has provided a completely different alternative in how educators do their work. Video conferencing platforms (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet) and collaboration tools (Google Workspace, Trello, Asana) are allowing schools to still provide quality educational content in the absence of traditional methods. Studies have shown that even with online classes taking a bigger role in the future, they won’t replace face-to-face classes but rather co-exist with them.     

8. Food Production Worker

Common job responsibilities: ensure food production maintains the highest level of quality at all times, operate and maintain food processing equipment, store food properly, link farmers and agriculture producers to consumers  

Average annual salary: $25,000 to $46,000 

Even before the pandemic, food production has always been one of the most, if not the most important industry in the world. Without workers and entire factories ensuring there is enough quantity of food being produced and distributed, every consumer would suffer. Retail food places such as restaurants and grocery stores also won’t be spared since they rely on food production companies for supplies. People working in these types of companies may not be included in the highest paying jobs tier similar to doctors and lawyers, but they are essential in ensuring communities never go hungry. 

Food production doesn’t only pertain to processed food but fresh produce as well. Even when it comes to processed food, production companies still need to use fresh ingredients before mixing them with preservatives and eventually selling them to consumers. These companies also partner with local farms and agriculture workers so that the raw materials will be delivered to their locations at the fastest time possible. 

When supplies arrive, it’s now the job of the factory workers to segregate these items and utilize equipment to create the intended product. These workers operate heavy equipment specifically made for handling food items. Aside from newly employed workers, workers who have been with the company for years will still have to undergo regular training before using any type of equipment. Whatever mistake, whether it be a careless mishandling or an honest error, can easily spell a major injury even for experienced factory workers.   

Final thoughts

Despite COVID-19 causing entire industries to fail, it still hasn’t been able to stop countless people from going to work. The jobs listed above are not only pandemic-proof but can also withstand other forms of external shocks. Some of these jobs may not earn as much as the others, but these days having any type of job is more important than having no work at all.