What propels you to volunteer as frontline workers at the quarantine zones?

I think it all started in February when we saw that the numbers were still quite low, but then it started to spike and we all heard that we didn’t want the frontline to be swarmed, for the hospitals to be swarmed. That’s why as dentists we’re actually well-positioned to go in. We have a lot of experience with PPEs and infection control and all that. So we thought that we'd be best to go in and help out, and so that’s why we mobilised the team and we were lucky that we were able to go in early because we’ve done quite a bit already since.

Basically, we feel that it is necessary. And I think the fact that we are volunteering as a company, as a group, makes a difference as (compared to) if we volunteer as individuals, it can be a little bit intimidating. But because we are all doing it, like 70 plus of us together as a group. So we’re going into the dormitories and going into the various areas together with your friends, you know what I mean? It does make a big difference, and everybody helps each other, everybody supports each other. I think that’s one of the things that make a difference for us.

For me, it was the awareness that this is a mammoth task that the government is faced with, and every helping hand would count in lightening the load of the government. And also the awareness that the sooner the nation identifies and treats or isolates the cases, the sooner things can get back to normal.

For me, what’s important is actually being part of a bigger picture and doing my bit to help out with this crisis that not just the country but the whole world is having. Our communities, our country, our people are all affected by it. Even though as dentists we feel (the) restrictions and the imposed guidelines on us, we do our part with social distancing, we do our part in making sure we cut down on our treatment, on our patients. But there’s no direct input to the problem, no direct input to the situation, you see. But this is an opportunity that we are able to be there and do it, at least play a part directly to help with the situation. To me, that’s the little bit that we can do. Hopefully, we can help the few thousands that we test and hopefully, that can help with the bigger picture.

Ultimately I think it’s a summary of what everyone had said so far. It is a mammoth task like Fay said, and we only realised how big a task it was after the first few days of being in the dorms and swabbing. And being able to help directly as Badrun said, it makes us feel (like) at least we’re helping in this huge, huge task and it’s all hands on deck. That’s how I feel. I think all the help that can come in is really needed.