As a medical officer on night float - the practice of returning for night duty on one's day off - we probably hear this at least 15 times a night. Little did I know that this was going to be my first contact with a patient harbouring the novel virus.
There was plenty to do after that. Taking his swabs, keying in my findings, calling the infectious diseases consultant on call, and notifying the Ministry of Health - all of which had to be done within one hour of his admission. In movies, people would want to be the hero and would readily volunteer their services. But when I was asked whether I would risk my life to do this, knowing there was no cure if infected, I hesitated."Should I even do this?" I asked myself.
Medical and nursing staff at work in an isolation ward at Singapore General Hospital, in November 2021.When I joined the team in the isolation ward, I wasn't very sure whether or not I would be safe, but the infectious diseases department and our seniors really took great care of us. But in the light of the newly confirmed patient, who we had thought was of really low risk, we finally understood why they were so cautious. That gave me the assurance that we were working in a safe and well-protected environment.Evaluating a febrile cancer patient is bread and butter for an infectious diseases physician, but when I started typing, I froze.
After collecting myself, I made my clinical recommendations on the computer and headed to the next patient on my list. I told myself that none of us in SGH had done wrong - the patient did not fulfil MOH's criteria for a suspect case. Although we had not broken any rules, my mind was racing with all the what ifs.
The first consultants of the ARI wards... were true heroes. They worked uncomplainingly in areas that did not have the usual safety nets of a purpose-built isolation ward.It was tough to listen in on their parting words. I was fully gowned up - there was no way for me to wipe my tears. I tried to distract myself with the tasks in the room. To hear but not to listen.
All I could do was apologise. The word"sorry" could never describe the guilt I felt and could never fill the void in their grieving hearts. That Easter Sunday morning, while walking to the Redhill site, I saw cranes lifting mattresses through the windows of the empty Housing Board flats. These workers had been relocated at short notice.
Source: Healthcare Press (healthcarepress.net)