Throughout the history of our nation, Americans have faced many crises. From pandemics to world wars, these events have helped us pull together and demonstrate our full potential as a nation. During these times as brave Americans went off to fight for our safety, we also had a strong foundation of support that would be known as the home front. The COVID-19 crisis is no different. Once again we have a true home front of American families who get up each day to support their loved ones as they go off to work as physicians, nurses, health care techs, postal workers, grocery store workers, firefighters, EMTs, truck drivers, food service workers, custodians, sanitation workers, and so many more.

As children of health care workers, we are doing our best to be part of a strong front that starts within the walls of our own homes. We are not alone in this fight. Our family members and many of our friends are traversing the same stressful roller coaster of emotions each day as we watch our loved ones venture off to help keep our communities safe, healthy, and fed.

After they head off to work, we gather around our TVs, check online news sources, and watch our social media feeds flow with the latest news regarding COVID-19. We watch as the number of people infected grows and the list of those who have passed away increases daily. We watch the broadcast reports on the lack of crucial Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and testing kits in many cities. We internalize the stories that our doctors, nurses and other health care workers have a much higher risk of becoming infected with COVID-19simply because they are sacrificing their own personal safety to help save others, while mayors seem to be arbitrarily picking dates to lift their stay-at-home orders. We watch as our own community sees disproportionate rates of death from COVID-19, while state and federal officials gloss over the grim reality. We are fully aware that the risk to our parents and loved ones is real and not going away anytime soon, and some will fall victim to these precarious times.

It is disheartening to witness the misinformation being spread, and the disregard for the safety of our communities that so many people are demonstrating. We are taken back as some of our elected officials rush to reopen America to preserve the economy but fail to offer solutions for how our parents and loved ones will be supplied with N95 masks and other crucial PPE that they need to stay protected. We can’t believe that many people are openly going out in public and ignoring health care leaders like Dr. Anthony Fauci about the need to maintain social distancing. We are horrified that so-called doctors are going on television to claim that sacrificing 2 to 3% more American lives by reopening our schools is acceptable.

As individuals and groups disregard social distancing, the likelihood that our loved ones will be infected increases proportionately because the same individuals who are ignoring these health guidelines could soon be showing up at hospitals seeking care, endangering everyone working there.

As the children of frontline workers, we cannot sit by and be silent as some adults place their own selfish needs before the health and safety of our communities. The individuals driving this campaign of misinformation don’t face the same risk of having their parent or loved one get infected at work, and possibly dying alone.

So many Americans understand how crucial the work of essential workers is to our nation right now. We see the beautiful stories of communities coming together for the nightly ritual of applauding hardworking health care workers. It is time we use our collective voices to demonstrate we won’t accept policies that place profits before the health and well-being of those who are risking everything each day.

Once again, our nation is faced with a crisis that requires Americans to demonstrate what makes us great. The front lines of this crisis are not a distant place on a map but are right here in our own communities. For some of us, the front lines are merging with the home front. We ask that policymakers and community leaders not turn their backs on those men and women who are leading this fight. Their willingness to sacrifice everything during this crisis deserves our respect and support. We must stand together and ensure that they receive it.

Haley Taylor Schlitz’s mother, Myiesha Taylor, M.D., F.A.A.E.M., is a board-certified emergency medicine physician in Dallas-Fort Worth.

Taylor Richardson’s father, Christopher J. Watts, M.D., is a board-certified internal medicine and infectious disease physician in Atlanta.