#YSEALIHeroes: Sean Thum Chern Choong - Malaysia
This story was originally published on Sean’s Facebook.
When I was informed my name has been put into the pool of Medical Officers deployed to manage the front lines for the Covid-19 pandemic in Johor, I probably felt the same as Yue Fei when he received an Imperial Order by the Emperor to carry out a mission.
I felt I was ready to serve my country. #DemiMalaysia
[My colleague Maria commented I looked excited when I was told about being called up for duty. I was!]
When I received the call in the afternoon of the 13th of March requesting for my services immediately (okay I had a couple of hours before the reporting time at 5pm), I was ready. #NationalService
On arrival, I learned that my comrades for the night were Brigette and Edward from HSI. We underwent a quick orientation session, had a simple dinner, and then started work.
For the night, the three of us were in charge of screening patients.
That included obtaining a history, performing a thorough physical examination of the patient, checking vital signs, taking throat swabs, nose swabs, and a blood sample, and also making a decision on whether the patient required admission (this was after consultation with the infectious diseases specialist on duty). We also had to register the patients' names into the disease notification system so that we, and our colleagues doing contact tracing, would be able to locate said patients.
These are routine procedures which were able to be completed rather quickly.
The element complicating this collection of data was the strict environmental conditions involved.
All staff had to put on (don) personal protective equipment prior to contact with the patients. It was a tedious process which had strict rules that we had to observed. These rules are made so that our healthcare professionals don't get infected (so we adhered to it religiously).
There were layers after layers of...stuff to put on, and it had to be donned in the right sequence. You eventually end up in a spacesuit-like situation (refer cover pic).
When wore right, you don't feel the movement of air around you. The suit is tight on you, limiting your movement. The N95 mask fits tightly to your jaw, trapping your heat and moisture in that region. Breathing could get a little difficult, especially because you are basically breathing in your own exhale!
Two hours later I emerged (after a similarly lengthy doffing sequence) drenched in my sweat. It was as if I had a personal sauna session while I carried out my duty.
Bear in mind I was working at 8 p.m. in the evening.
Imagine what my colleagues who worked in the afternoon had to go through!
Once we were 'free' of our confinements, we hurried to the pantry where downed cups after cups of water (we were dehydrated after the session of sauna). The chlorhexidine bath was refreshing, and could not be more welcomed.
This pandemic isn't going away so soon.
Here, I would like to record my appreciation to my colleagues who have been part of the efforts since Day One of our response to the Covid-19 pandemic. It is not easy, and I hope to contribute whatever I can as part of the frontliners for the remainder of my shift at this hospital.
We wish all Malaysians (and human beings all over the world) good health as we face this pandemic.
Please practice good hand hygiene (wash your hands!).
Please practice good cough etiquette (cover your mouth when you cough!).
Please drink more water. Eat nutritiously. Take care of yourself.
Please report yourself to the healthcare services/authorities if you:
1. Have symptoms such as fever, cough, and difficulty breathing
2. Had close contact with a patient tested positive for Covid-19 or
3. Had visited a region which was reported to have an outbreak
This pandemic will pass, eventually. But before that, we all have to work together to overcome the challenges it throws at us. Remember, the virus does not discriminate on who it infects.
Let's work hand in hand, together.
