High risk, low reward, but it’s people first for city’s unsung heroes

There is lockdown everywhere, and the government, offices and other commercial institutions are encouraging people to stay indoors and work from home. However, apart from doctors and health staff, there are field staff of a few other sectors who play a critical role in safeguarding public health and safety, and readying a response to the pandemic. They include police personnel, transport workers, social care staff, those involved in food production and delivery, and other key financial services and utilities. DT Next met with some such unsung heroes across the city, who, without worrying about them getting infected, continue to put themselves in the front line so as to ensure that the society at large is taken care of.

I’ve been hearing and reading about coronavirus on the television and in the newspaper. People are saying it’s dangerous, and that we have to be careful. Now the public are being asked to keep indoors and not to leave homes. But how can I deliver cylinders from home?

See, I don’t get paid unless I deliver a certain number of cylinders. If I say that I don’t want to work, then I will lose my salary. My company hasn’t even mentioned or cautioned us anything about such a virus. I have a home to run, so I have to make sure that I keep going to work. I visit around five households every day. I go all the way to their kitchen. I haven’t been given any mask or anything. But this is important work. People need cooking gas to prepare food. And my job is to ensure that the customers are not kept waiting for their cylinders. Luckily, my children are in good jobs. They will take care of my wife and myself if things take a turn for the worse. But this really isn’t anything to get worried over. Work needs to be done, and as long as we are all careful, we will be fine.

In the medical field, you are always surrounded by disease. COVID-19 is not as dangerous as some of the other communicable diseases like SARS are. But we need to continue putting ourselves in those situations to do our jobs properly. Of course, we doctors are afraid of taking an infection home. It is a thought that all doctors have, especially when they are at the beginning of their career. The first time it happens could be the worst.

In my case itself, I had got infected with a case of Hepatitis. It still weighs heavily on my mind. Like doctors, our first priority is always patients. So when the time came to prioritise my health, I struggled a little bit.

Many people blame doctors if anything goes wrong. We too are human beings. It is easy to put the blame on us as we are the touch-point of the public and the healthcare system. But now, with COVID-19, a lot of people are realising how important public health and hygiene is in our lives. We need to understand that it is in tandem with civic bodies that healthcare systems can operate effectively.

Working from home? Other people’s homes are my office. These big IT folks will get leave and can afford to sit at home and work. But how am I supposed to wash someone else’s dishes from my house? See, I go to five households, with whom I have been working for over 19 years. They’re all like my family. Some of them are young and can handle things. But some are too old. I cannot ditch them now.

I’m not too bothered about getting infected or anything like that. My body has become strong working day in and day out. So I’m not going to be at risk. Besides, we know all of the precautions that we need to take – washing hands with soap and making sure you close your mouth when sneezing or coughing. Now, if things get bad and I cannot go to work, still there would be no problem. As I said, these are my family, and they won’t cut my salary or do anything bad to me. So I’ll still have the money, but I’ll just be sitting idle at home, bored.

Money is not my concern. I have another job, and my family members too have good jobs. The reason why I took up this food delivery job is that this allows me to ride my bike. My other job takes care of my expenses. But in Anna Nagar, there is an Ayyapan Temple, outside which there are some elderly people. They don’t have anyone to take care of them. Every day, I buy them tea and biscuits. When it rains, I get them umbrellas. If I don’t do that every day, I will feel as though I have missed something very important. So, yes, there is a virus in the city. But this is something I am passionate about. I do around 10 trips every day, from 6 pm to 11 pm. I’m taking all the necessary precautions, and I’m young and I’m healthy. I don’t belong to the high-risk category. Even if I am, my service towards those elderly souls is worth taking all the risk.

Everyone is staying at home, and we are hardly getting any rides. I work through several online cab-hailing services, and all come up empty. At most, there will be one ride, from one house to another. I roam around in the morning for some time and then come back home.

I still do ensure I stay available for rides because some people might have an emergency at this time. There could be senior citizens or others who have fallen sick, who need to be taken to a hospital. They might feel helpless if they walk into the street and see it empty as it is now. They need help and support too, and we must ensure that they get timely transportation. My husband is also an auto driver. So we are in the same boat, hard-pressed for money as we have to earn a living by getting rides. Our son is studying in Class 12, and he is also at home. He is worried about his postponed exams.

I am scared about this virus and am taking the precautions I can. I wash the auto with turmeric water in the morning every day. I wear a mask when I go out. Commuters also feel comforted when they see me in a mask, especially since I am a woman driver. People need that comfort now.

Our job is a risky one anyway, irrespective of a virus outbreak or not. We have to be resilient, and at times like this the public rely on us. If we show fear or weakness, they will get scared. The duty of police is to be with the public and help them. Everyone in my station, despite this disease, has been conducting awareness camps. Near our area, we have a lot of slums, and they need to know the situation. It’s our responsibility to help them, and nothing can deter us. It’s been three years since I was promoted as an inspector. I was fond of sports during my younger days and wanted to take up a job with the police force. Work here is always tough. I leave in the morning and get to see my family only late at night. I do miss them, but duty comes first. We want the public to stay indoors and be safe. Step out only if it is that necessary. Most of all, what is required is to remain calm and have trust in the police force and extend your cooperation that we all survive this crisis.