There is no doubt that frontline healthcare workers are the heroes of this Covid-19 pandemic.
Support for them is at an all time high, with food establishments offering healthcare workers free meals and drinks. The nation even collectively clapped from their homes to cheer them on earlier in March.
But TheSmartLocal’s latest “This Is Why” video reminds us of the daily struggles healthcare workers go through. In a beautifully directed short film, the video spotlighted sentiments towards frontline workers, showing a day in a nurse’s life from her point of view.
We don’t want to spoil it right away, so you can watch the video below if you haven’t. You might want to grab a box of tissues before you click play.
This episode is part of the #SGUnited series supported by IMDA.
The video by TheSmartLocal depicts the daily struggles of a nurse.
From having Grab riders cancel based on her uniform, to other commuters avoiding her, the nurse braves through it all to go to work.
Even during lunch time, she gets odd looks from the public.
Narrating that people look at her differently now, she was harshly told by her usual hawker to put money for her kopi peng down instead of directly handing it over.
When she tried to find a seat at a coffee shop for lunch, other customers hurriedly placed their belongings on chairs so she wouldn’t sit near them.
The unprovoked discrimination faced by the nurse tugged at our heartstrings, so it’s alright if you’ve shed tears by this point.
The scene then changes to a typical workday of a healthcare worker. Inevitably, death is but a common phenomenon when you’re on the frontline of a pandemic.
On this day, her team was unable to revive a patient, who sadly passes away.
Shaken, she takes off to the washroom and begins to cry. Hours spent wearing protective goggles left abrasions and imprints over her face.
After her soul-draining work day, she then heads home via MRT.
When a female passenger approaches her, she flinches, ready to apologise for her presence. Instead, she was stunned with the words “excuse me, you want to take a seat?”
Although she initially rejects, the insistence of the kind passenger prompted her to take the seat eventually. The kind passenger also strikes friendly chit-chat with her, asking her how her day was.
At this point, the roller coaster of emotion was just too much for the nurse to bear, as she tears up once again, alarming the kind passenger who tries to lighten the mood with jokes.
She narrates,
Moments like these push us on. Help us, so we can help you.
The video then ends on a lighthearted and heartwarming note, with the nurse and the kind passenger chatting with smiles on their faces.
We do love happy endings. If you’ve read all the way till here and have yet to watch the video, you can do so now.
Working the frontline is a demanding task. It is stressful, and we should support healthcare workers to the best of our ability.
What the narration in TheSmartLocal feature says is true, we need to help nurses and other frontline workers, so they can help us.
Together, we can overcome the Covid-19 pandemic.
Disclosure: MS News and TheSmartLocal are companies under TSL Media.
Featured image adapted from Facebook and Facebook.
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