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Unsung heroes of COVID-19: Going above and beyond their call of duty
People have risen to meet challenges during the pandemic to keep the world spinning not only for themselves but also for those around them.
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Two boys ride past wall murals promoting public health messages on July 28, 2020 in Kalipasir, Central Jakarta. (JP/Seto Wardhana)
A
year to the date when the President announced Indonesia’s first two confirmed cases, COVID-19 has changed the lives of many people in the country. Millions have contracted the SARS-CoV-2 virus while millions more remain at risk of infection, hundreds of thousands have lost loved ones, the global economic downturn has affected both employers and employees, and the restrictive policies of the public health emergency have made person-to-person interaction a thing of the past.
Still, some people have risen to meet these challenges and more to keep the world spinning not only for themselves but also for those around them. Many have gone above and beyond their call of duty to help others in need amid their own hardships.
Here is a glimpse into the stories of some of the unsung heroes The Jakarta Post spoke to.
Aryati & Dewi, medical specialists: Burning the candle to test, test, test
Indonesia launched mass testing programs on an unprecedented scale as part of its response to the COVID-19 outbreak on its shores, using both polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test kits and rapid diagnostic test kits. The program met with many obstacles, from the program’s initially centralized administration to the lack of trained human resources, and to a shortage of reagents, testing kits and laboratory equipment.
As the coronavirus spread across the country, health authorities started involving more labs, many headed by female specialists.
“It’s hard to just breathe,” said Aryati, reflecting on the past year.
