Woman with IV drip on subway sparks debate on pressures for city dwellers
A woman on a Shanghai subway with an intravenous drip inserted in her hand and holding a bottle of fluid over her head has trended on mainland social media, highlighting the struggle of many living in China’s cities.
The woman’s unusual behaviour was filmed by a passer-by when she was on an escalator in a subway station at about 10pm at the end of last month, news portal The Paper reported.
“At first, I thought she was holding a drink bottle. When I realised it was an IV fluid bottle and she was having an IV inserted, I thought she was strong and life was not easy for her. My heart ached a bit for her,” the man who took the video posted on Douyin.
After the video clip went viral, the woman, identified by the nickname Dongdong, said she had a fever for several days, and one day before she was filmed in the video, she had received an IV infusion at a hospital overnight.
The woman runs a dance studio in downtown Shanghai, 20km from her home. She said she could not afford to go to the hospital in the daytime since she had just started her business and had not hired any staff yet.
“If I went to receive the IV at the hospital after 10pm every day and finished the drip at 2am, I wouldn’t have enough rest because I need to open my studio early,” Dongdong said. “So I asked doctors if I could take the IV fluids away. I told them I had studied medicine before and I could insert it myself. The doctors agreed.”
She said on the day she was filmed she took the subway home instead of taking a taxi to save money. “I am at the initial stage of my business. I don’t want to waste money,” Dongdong said.
She admitted her behaviour looked “absurd” and warned people not to attempt it.
“Please be aware that there are too many uncontrollable factors in the infusion process, like acute allergy and the tubes falling apart. The latter could cause infection. There also might be adverse reactions, which could put your life at risk,” said Dongdong, who was previously a nurse.
“It’s dangerous to receive an IV infusion outside the hospital. I am sorry that my behaviour has negatively affected the public.”
A doctor in Beijing told the Beijing Youth Daily that some IV fluids need to avoid light and some medicine should be injected at a specific speed. In scenarios where blood is drawn into the tube, air can enter the tube or the needle can become polluted.
“Venues like subway carriages are crowded, and rescue equipment or rescuers are scarce. Once an accident happens, it’s hard to predict the aftermath,” the doctor said. “From the perspective of medical safety, the woman’s behaviour should be prohibited.”
The video has stoked heated online debate about the work pressure in China’s big cities.
“Life is not easy. I understand this girl’s frugality. Hiring a taxi for a journey of 20km is expensive,” one person commented.
I am at the initial stage of my business. I don’t want to waste money
DONGDONG, WOMAN WITH IV DRIP