A supervisor at a hostel in Edinburgh, has told Edinburgh Live she feels "survivor's guilt" simply because she still has a job to go to.
As coronavirus continues to spread, Prime Minister Boris Johnson made the decision to shut down all pubs, bars, clubs and gym facilities in an unprecedented move on Friday.
Overnight a number of businesses have closed down with many people being left unemployed and even being fired through text.
We spoke to a worker at a hostel in Edinburgh who wishes to stay anonymous in order to not jeopardise her employment.
She described her current situation as "grim" as her hours have been heavily reduced due to the fact they are forced to temporarily lay of staff.
She also described her "survivor's guilt" that she still has any shifts at all, as the hostel scrambles to find employment for those who have been told to leave.
She told Edinburgh Live: "We have called our contacts, supermarkets and agencies to arrange telephone interviews for our staff so we can try to guarantee them work.
"There is also a bit of “survivor's guilt” almost. Not everyone is lucky enough to still get shifts and you feel awful that you still have a job and they don’t, especially when you know your colleagues have families and dependants
"However there is nothing you can do and we all have to try and survive."
Despite staff layoffs, she has praised the way her employer has coped with the situation saying: "I am lucky to work for a company that’s desperately trying to do the right thing by its staff.
"I often spare a thought to those who work for less scrupulous companies – in particular those that are not only making people redundant but kicking them out of their homes at the same time. We can get through this but only if we all pull together."
