https://arab.news/5wdtn
- Senior medical resident, Internal Medicine
- King Fahad General Hospital in Jeddah
On what it has been like working the frontlines during COVID-19:
In times of disasters, epidemics and pandemics, schools and universities are disrupted, and countries announce curfews, air traffic and travels stopped, markets stagnate, and warning shouts rise: “Stay at home .. and protect yourself.” Cries that may work with some, but not for health sector workers; doctors, nurses, workers and administrators, they find themselves in the first ranks in the line of fire.
When duty called, we were the first responders. We left our families and friends, and we stood there for our community, for our country, investing what we have learned and applied it to save our people from this virus. It was our time to show how much we love our country that served us throughout the years being there for us, supporting us wherever we are in the world. It was our time to pay back a fraction showing our great love to our country and community.
Depriving ourselves from our families, waiting anxiously, swab after swab, the happiness and joy the negative result gives us. I never thought I will need a permission to embrace my son, but our people and country are depending on us. We need to stand and fight back to ease the pain and comfort our patients who left their home and families and put their trust in us. My goal is to do what’s in my power to reduce the spread of the virus and to survive.
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