Opinion: Oscar’s Nominees Reckond as Essential Workers is Sacrilegious to Essential Workers

The Nomination for the Oscar’s 2021 has been announced on 15th March, and The nominees for Best Film is comprised of eight movies from different parts of the world, to celebrate the excellence and the pride of filmmaking. However, the year 2021 is different in comparison to previous years. The main reason that set it apart from its precursor is COVID-19; Coronavirus or simply Corona. In respect to same Oscar’s nominees are deemed as essential workers to attend the Academy Awards.

In view of the recent spike in corona cases worldwide, prioritizing the event over health is blasphemous, but to deem the eventee as the Essential Worker is sacrilegious and a sign of callousness to the real Essential Workers, especially those who work in the health sector. Honorous it may be, It is foolish to risk health over the course of the mere event that is possible to accommodate over the internet. However, there are much more obstacle to obviate in order to make the event successful. The Academy must have thought over minute details as several of the nominees don’t reside in the United States and aren’t ready to risk their health in exchange of the Academy Honours. Hence The Academy resorted to discussion, and after feedbacks, The producers added a lateral event space in London, United Kingdom, where nominees can gather and pretend to be in Los Angeles.

Further, The Oscars is planning to setup few more of them across Europe, desperately trying, keeping a blind eye towards 2.8 million death from COVID- 19 in the past year. To ensure further safety, the organizers will also be “implementing a required quarantine to capture the risk of each person attending the event.”

As part of ‘chucklesome’ protocol, Oscar attendees will also be needed to self-quarantine for ten days before the main event. Moreover, a Low-risk domestic traveler needs to reach before April 20, whereas, a high-risk traveler must be in the county by April 17. The attendees are also required to go trough two COVID-19 PCR tests and a total of three COVID tests in the respective week before the ceremony. The invitation letter specifies: “Testing: Pre-travel PCR. You will test mail in/in-person on the 19th (we supply) mail-in/in-person on the 22nd (we supply) and test in-person at the JW Marriott on the morning of the 25th.”

Despite the safety procedure and precaution, the Academy should give a second thought over the organization of event amid the new spike and the followup second wave of COVID, The carelessness in understanding the gravity of the situation can lead to hazardous predicament, and The Uncompromising behavior also elucidates the priority of the Academy. Moreover, to deem the attendee as Essential Worker to conclude a mere event is complete disrespect towards the actual front line warriors in the world. To put in simple terms, Food, Banking, Tissues and other FMCG products required in our day to day life/Necessities are considered as essential but the Oscars.