Meet some Windsor-Essex youth on the front lines of the pandemic

The part-time job is a rite of passage for youth, but those working their first jobsamidthe pandemic have had a vastlydifferent experience fromother generations.

Over the last year, teenagersworking the front lines in customer service have had to manageCOVID-19 protocols, handlestressedout customersand deal with concerns about catching COVID-19 themselves.

They'realsowaitinglonger than other groups to get their vaccines.

Essential workers, including in retail and food-service settings, are eligible to get COVID-19 shots as of this week, but the rollout is limited to ages 18 and up. The Ontario governmenthas announced that youth 12 and up will become eligible in a few weeks.

To get a sense of how youth working essential jobshave fared throughout the pandemic,CBC Radio'sWindsor Morning invited a panel of threeteenagersto talk about their experiences.

LISTEN: Youth workers join CBC Radio's Windsor Morning:

Grace Truemanis a cashier at a Windsor grocery store. Recently, she said she's seen the best and worst sides of customers.

"You have those customers who are just super patient,and they know that some things are in short stock and everyone's going through a hard time and they're super gracious about it," she said.

"But then you also have the customers who are obviously stressed about the pandemic and are taking that out on cashiers and frontline workers who are just doing their best."

Grade 12 studentValessa Antunes, whoworks at a coffee shop in Leamington, also sees awide range of behaviours from the public. She recalled one customerwho pulled up to the drive-thru andyelled at her because they were out of a specific doughnut.

Levi Morand, a Grade 11 student in Windsor, has twojobs one stocking shelves at a supermarket and another scooping ice cream.

He recalled being at the grocery store for a shift during oneof the early days of the pandemic, when people were in a mad rush to buy essentials, suchas toilet paper and water.

"Absolute chaos," he said.

In her job, Antunes said she sometimes worries about the possibility of exposure to the virus, butit's a matter of being careful.

"I don't want to put my family at risk."

Truemanexpressed confidence in all the precautions in place at her workplace. She said that as ateenager, it can be uncomfortable having to tell adults to follow the COVID-19rules like propermasking.

Youth vaccine rollout

On Thursday, the provincial government announced vaccinations for those 12 and up would start the week of May 31 using the Pfizer-BioNtech shot.

Given the tight supply available, the province has set up a three-phase vaccination rollout strategy outlining who's eligible for vaccination based on factors such as age, health andoccupational risk.

The trio expressed understandingwhy youth had not previously been eligible for vaccines.

Still, for Morand,there's a bit of frustrationtoo.

All of us front-line workers, we've worked a large majority of thepandemic without the vaccine, and really what it comes down to is, everyone has their turn.- Valessa Antunes, Grade 12 student and front-line worker

"The elderly come in to shop, and if I have it, I don't want to be risking giving it to them."

Antunes, 17, at one point tried to get a vaccine, but was turned away due to her age.

As for Trueman, she hasturned 18 and has an upcoming appointment. She hopes front-line workers under 18 are eligible as soon as possible, but saideveryone will get a chance.

"The way I kind of see it is, all of us front-line workers, we've worked a large majority of thepandemic without the vaccine, and really what it comes down to is, everyone has their turn. Everyone's going to get it eventually but we just have to go down the ranks and wait for it."