"Health and essential workers have played an extraordinary role in the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Across countries, they have put their health and wellbeing at risk, often in very difficult circumstances and with very little support, to ensure that people are able to access the essential services they need. Based on information from 63 countries and territories, this report highlights the challenges health and essential workers have faced during this period. Amnesty International's analysis has shown that over 3000 health workers have lost their lives due to COVID-19 during the pandemic – a figure that is likely to be a major underestimate - and many others have worked in unsafe environments due to shortages in personal protective equipment (PPE). They have faced reprisals from the authorities and their employers for raising safety concerns, including arrests and dismissals, and in some cases have been subject to violence and stigma from members of the public. This report makes concrete recommendations for what governments across the world need to do to comply with their human rights obligations and adequately protect the rights of health and essential workers."

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