SIBU, March 27: Quarine Andreas, a nurse attached with Sibu Hospital, dearly misses her three children but work comes first for her.
The mother-of-three, who is in her 40s, has to isolate herself from her two boys and one girl, aged between 13 and 17, amid the Movement Control Order (MCO) in light of the Covid-19 outbreak.
“Bersatu kita mati, bercerai kita selamat. (If we are together we might perish but if we are isolated, we are safe),” she said, in reference to the famous phrase to encourage unity “bersatu kita teguh, bercerai kita roboh” (united we stand, apart we fall).
Quarine meant that due to the nature of her work, where she is exposed to various risks daily, she has to strictly observed the social distancing from her children.
Like other frontliners working to help flatten the Covid-19 curve, Quarine felt that she has to take such drastic measure for the good of all. She sent her children to stay with their grandmother in Kanowit until things are back to normal.
Quarine’s husband, a police officer and also Tanjung Manis police station chief, is also not staying with her due to the distance of an hour’s drive to work from their home.
“During this period, I can only call them when I am off duty. Sometimes they will call me, as they know my working hours,” she said.
Staying in Permai Garden, which is just opposite Sibu Hospital, Quarine started doing social distancing with her children and relatives when the MCO was enforced on March 18.
“After work, I will go straight home and will only keep in contact with people using my phone,” she said.
Meanwhile, a nurse who requested for anonymity , appealed to the people to be more transparent and not hiding their health status when asked by medical personnel.
“During this period if people suspected that they are having symptoms of Covid-19, they should go for testing. As one of the frontliners, there is always the fear of contracting the virus if people who comes to the hospital are not honest,” she said.
She added that everyone has the responsibility to help the government curb the spread of Covid-19. — DayakDaily
