Singaporeans show their love for frontline healthcare workers

As panic heightens over the growing number of Covid-19 cases in Singapore, we read stories of nurses berated for taking the public transport and an ambulance driver rejected by a chicken rice food stall on social media.

Not surprisingly, most netizens flooded the comment sections to share their utter disappointment.

One Facebook user expressed how “heartbreaking” these incidents were, and another felt shunning frontline workers is “upsetting [as] the people in the hospital know what risks [they are taking].”

Fortunately, some Singaporeans have chosen to show their love to these healthcare workers by expressing their appreciation for their hard work.

From buying breakfast to writing encouraging notes, these Good Samaritans prove that the bad apples are indeed a minority. Here are four instances of their thoughtfulness.

1. Buying comfort food for healthcare workers

Facebook user Tong Yee, with his daughters Rui’en and Ruirui, decided to give back to the healthcare professionals by bringing them comfort food.

The young girls even wrote messages on the takeaway containers. He believes that during this coronavirus crisis, we should “support our society and community… [and] and teach the next generation how to do the same”.

2. Writing love letters to our healers

In an Instagram post by @tabaogirl, she called for Singaporeans to write letters of appreciation to our frontline healthcare personnel staff on Valentine’s Day through the social media movement, #BraveHeartSG, started by community group StandUpFor.SG.

She hopes the community will “stand together and spread some love instead… [of] stigma, fear, and panic”.

You too can upload your letters of appreciation as a public post on Facebook and tag #braveheartSG, or email it to the team at braveheartSG2020@gmail.com. These notes will be given to over 5,000 healthcare personnel island wide.

3. Sharing kind words for our healthcare and supermarket workers

With his friends from student-led initiative The Signpost Project, Nur Hazeem Abdul Nasser decided to write notes for healthcare and supermarket employees in their neighbourhood.

Hazeem also cheekily called out “toilet paper hoaders” to buy from the local tissue paper uncle and aunties at MRTs instead of stockpiling from supermarkets.

These young people called for Singaporeans to “rally their support for the unsung heroes… [as] small actions [make] each hero’s day.” If you have some time to spare, head here for a list of community-led initiatives you can support or contribute to.

4. Expressing their gratitude to “kind-hearted ninjas”

In a recent Facebook post, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) thanked the Good Samaritans for sending cartons of Milo to fire stations and fire posts across the island.

The SCDF also expressed their gratitude to all healthcare and service staff for their “selfless and ceaseless dedication in protecting the community during this nCov situation.” They took the opportunity to encourage other social media users to tag frontliners and uplift them with supportive messages.

Ultimately, we can do more than panic-buying and ostracising our healthcare and frontline workers. Come on Singapore, we are better than this. Let’s work on being more compassionate towards our unsung heroes who are working tirelessly behind the scenes.