The world of Tzu Chi May 2020 (Vol.122)

06 eature I received a phone call from the lab supervisor. “We’re running short on lab staff,” he pleaded from the other end of the line. I accepted the temporary post. I endured the daily three-hour commute on public transportation to and from the lab. We were geared for work the moment we entered the lab. There was no time for introductions. After receiving a briefing on our duties, we buried our noses in the piles of swab specimens before us. The results of the tests have to be released within 24 hours. A workflow was established in the lab to ensure optimum efficiency and expedite the testing process. The number of specimens we received from various hospitals swelled from the tens to the hundreds. Examining the specimens demanded both physical and mental endurance. The repetitive labour resulted in sore arms, necks and backs. Thoughts of throwing in the towel emerged from time to time, but were pushed to the back of my mind. We persevered and Sunshine after the rain Narrated by Hooi Yuan Teng (Hospital laboratory staff) Composed by Wee Suan Yean A healthcare worker employed in a hospital laboratory in charge of analysing Covid-19 test specimens and a physician from the Sungai Buloh Hospital Covid-19 medical team offer moving glimpses into life on the frontlines. VOICES FROM THE FRONTLINES repeated the necessary procedures until our tasks were accomplished. Our supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) started depleting. We resorted to wearing the same set of protective gear for as long as possible. We refrained from drinking water and going to the toilet in order to preserve our protective clothing. We skipped lunch on some days. Some of us worked until way past midnight. We began working around the clock in shifts to hasten the processing of the tests. The number of specimens kept increasing by the day. We feared that we would reach our limits one day. But we feared even more the risk caused by individuals who are carriers of the virus, yet remain unaware that they have been infected and are on the move. We continue to work tirelessly in the lab, united by our belief in the hope that this too shall pass. Let us venture outdoors and embrace the sun after the pandemic ends, shall we? Note: Health Director-General Datuk Dr. Noor Hisham Abdullah reported that a total of 43 laboratories nationwide have been utilized for coronavirus testing at a capacity of 11,500 specimens daily.