Coronavirus 'carriers' take test samples around London

A bicycle courier, Gee zips from the city's hospitals and clinics with medical samples of the virus, taking them to laboratories for processing. Gee faces a two-fold fear: exposure to the coronavirus and whether he will have a job after the outbreak.

The British government considers medical couriers to be essential workers during the pandemic, but Gee faces being laid off when it is over because the outbreak has hurt the other business of the diagnostics firm he works for.

Thousands of other "gig economy" workers also are torn between safety and sustenance. As Britain's economy stalled when the country went into lockdown on March 23, sending unemployment to a two-decade high, they have scrambled to keep working despite the risks.

Gee and his colleagues say they haven't been given adequate protection for going into hospitals, clinics and doctors' offices where they collect swab samples to be tested for the highly contagious virus. Their employer gave them gloves, cotton masks and hand gel, but Gee says the supply runs out quickly.

Gee said he is not just concerned about his own health. While attention has understandably focused on the risks taken by front-line medical workers, more than 100 of whom have died in the U.K. from COVID-19, many other workers also face danger.

The riskiest jobs are often low-paid, insecure and ineligible for a government furlough program that is temporarily paying 80% of the salary of 8 million British employees.

While most stores and restaurants remain shut, some food outlets have continued to offer delivery, providing some work _ and risk _ for drivers

As Britain slowly eases its lockdown, the streets are starting to fill up again. Gee worries that he soon won't be able to socially distance on his daily commute by train. And he says talks with the company over the layoffs have stalled.