Frontliners ready to be in the line of fire a third time
The number of Covid-19 patients is on the rise in Sabah with the Health DG describing it as a crisis. But the medical staff are ready to face the challenge. Dentists are chipping in too.
KOTA KINABALU: Sabahans are taking their own initiative in the battle against the Covid-19 contagion.
Former beauty queen May Salitah Naru Kiob sees to it that she and her husband take their vitamin C and magnesium supplements daily. Their one-year-old daughter too is given vitamin C and fruits.
This was being done to help build a strong immune system, said May, who was Miss Earth Sabah 2010.
Sabah, which has seen a surge in infections, has been placed under a conditional movement order until Oct 26.
May, who works with the Sabah Tourism Board, said she felt sad that people had to go through movement restrictions again.
“But at the same time, I am happy that we get to spend more time with our daughter and to watch her grow,” said May, 32.
She also stressed the importance of developing hobbies that could help generate a side income and exercise.
Mother-of-two Cherylene Mojinun said the only way she could protect her five-year-old son and three-year-old daughter was to not take them out at all for now.
She said she had been teaching them about good hygiene like washing their hands often.
“Now, they do not even want to go out with me because they know there’s a dangerous virus out there,” she said.
Cherylene, 34, makes sure that she immediately takes a bath and cleans up whenever she arrives home.
Her children also get their daily dose of vitamin C to boost their immune system.
“Apart from my children, we also worry about my dad who has to go for dialysis three times a week.
“Imagine all the exposure and risk,” she said.
She said they would clean the interior of their car after picking him from the hospital, apart from bathing and washing their clothes as soon as they return home.
Cherylene said that all this might seem tedious but it had to be done for safety’s sake.
Office worker Christine B, 33, said her priority was to stay home as much as possible.
“I always remind other family members to bathe when they get home. And to wear a mask and bring their hand sanitisers before leaving the house,” Christine said.
She also tries to only shop once a week. “I don’t mind buying from the sundry shop just in front of my house although the prices are slightly higher. Our lives are priceless,” she said.
For sales executive Martha Martin, this pandemic had led to her consuming less and saving more.
As for preventive measures, she said her family always masked up and had hand sanitisers ready whenever they go grocery shopping.
Her husband is usually the one who does the shopping, as they do not want to take their two young children out.
Upon returning home, it is a shower straight away.