It does here, for example:

https://covid19.ca.gov/essential-workforce/

> In accordance with this order, the State Public Health Officer has designated the following list of Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers to help state, local, tribal, and industry partners as they work to protect communities, while ensuring continuity of functions critical to public health and safety, as well as economic and national security.

Nope, critical is attached to infrastructure there, not to workers.

And I’m responding to

> Blocking critical infrastructure is illegal

and pointing out that there are an enormous number of things which were labeled critical infrastructure during the pandemic, like any store that sells food.

You’re splitting hairs in an unhelpful way which distracts from the point entirely.

I think the stores are critical infrastructure for food but that individual staff issues is not so critical, and more on the lines of essential.

However, enough grocery stores have to be kept running, or else people could run out of food, or the food supply chain could be disrupted.

So, "essential workers" means that they have to be protected and encouraged to work as a group, but that if some individual ones quit or have to take time off work, it will be OK. Whereas in this crisis, if even one grocery store closed, that could, depending on the area, cause a problem.

Both words are tools of propaganda nowadays. Define them to leave no doubt and I'll change my mind.