n this Sunday, as everyone stays home again, spare a thought to the professionals who are out there working to ensure that those who are home are safe. There are doctors, nurses and hospital staff that are working round-the- clock to ensure that their patients and those with medical conditions get their treatment and their medicines. There are ambulance staff that rush to a call, no matter what time of the day and night they have to do so. There are pharmacists who are working behind the counters, dispensing medicines to all those who are queuing up outside their outlets with prescriptions.
More importantly, there is a team of government doctors, nurses, technicians and other support staff at the frontline who are treating the three COVID-19 positive patients, ensuring that they get the best treatment possible and that they recover from the virus. They are in a high-risk situation, yet they are there at the bedside of the patients doing their best for those who are ailing from the virus that has already killed thousands. In addition, there are many other doctors, nurses and other staff who are working with the suspected coronavirus patients who have been quarantined in various government facilities, so that the suspect cases can be monitored and to ensure that they don’t infect others. The medical fraternity does take all precautions, but don’t forget that it cannot be easy to do what they are doing.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
Then there are police officers, ranging from the rank of Director General to the constable who are working to maintain the peace, and to ensure that the lockdown is strictly followed by the people. While those ranked high may be seated in their offices and directing the efforts of the police force they still have to leave their homes. And, across the State, thousands of policemen and policewomen are also standing on the roads – under the blazing sun and in the brilliant moonlight – to keep Goa safe. Yes, there are cases when they have yielded the stick, and that should not have been done, but they are also doing their duty to protect the citizens during this time of a lockdown. To make it easier for them, fewer people should venture out of their homes during these times.
Often, the other essential services are forgotten. There are the grocery store owners who open the shutters of their shops so that the people can get their essentials and the staff of these stores who serve the buyers, directly interacting with them. Running all around the State checking the ground conditions are media persons so as to get the news from the government and give it to the people – the readers of the newspapers and the viewers of the television channels. Certain banks are open, so that the people are not inconvenienced for lack of money, or unable to make transactions. Then there is the staff of the fuel stations who are keeping the wheels of the essential services moving even during the time of a lockdown.
This Sunday will not be like many others. The previous weekend of the ‘janata curfew’ had been more of a trial run of staying indoors, but this Sunday staying at home will be a lot different. During the last seven days, Goa recorded its first COVID-19 cases – three of them on the same day – and the mood in the State changed after that. People have realised the importance of social distancing and there will be no clapping for those on the frontline of the COVID-19 treatment teams. But, yes, it would be fitting to spend a few moments appreciating what the doctors, nurses, technicians and supports staff of the Goa Medical College and the Directorate of Health Services are doing in these days of the lockdown.
