This article is a deeply personal account of my service as a COVID warrior. What makes the article particularly powerful is that I have brought together three dimensions of my contribution: my scientific role, my responsibility as a team supervisor and leader, and the emotional experiences that stayed with me long after I left the laboratory.
As a COVID warrior, I would like to share a few facts and experiences from the field that I witnessed during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. During the COVID-19 pandemic, India recorded millions of confirmed cases and hundreds of thousands of reported deaths. By 31 May 2021, approximately 2.88 crore confirmed cases and 3.47 lakh deaths had been reported across the country. The second wave placed an extraordinary burden on healthcare systems, with Maharashtra among the states severely affected. A published epidemiological analysis of the period from 15 February to 15 May 2021 recorded 1,14,550 reported deaths nationally, including 28,983 in Maharashtra, accounting for approximately 25.3% of the national total during that period. Nashik, which had been designated a Red Zone during the COVID-19 pandemic, where I served as a COVID warrior, also faced considerable challenges during this unprecedented public-health crisis.
During the first wave, I had been consciously looking for an opportunity to serve society amid the turmoil of the COVID-19 pandemic. I got this opportunity during the second wave when I joined the Bytco COVID Care Centre of the Nashik Municipal Corporation. I worked in a laboratory exclusively dedicated to RT-PCR testing of swab samples. This laboratory was situated within a government COVID care centre, where patients were not only diagnosed through PCR testing but were also admitted and treated for coronavirus disease.
Our responsibility was to conduct PCR testing and ensure the timely reporting of results. At the peak of the second wave, in mid-April, our daily sample count reached approximately 1,500 in a single day. Despite this enormous workload, we successfully communicated the reports to the respective centres in Nashik within 24 hours. The peak workload continued from April until mid-May. During this period, seven out of our 28 team members tested positive for COVID-19. However, with collective support, appropriate treatment and the love and care we extended to one another, all of them recovered. Without hesitation, they responded to the call of duty and returned to serve in the laboratory. Amid this tsunami of a pandemic, I observed that the government provided basic facilities to the common people, while non-governmental organisations also came forward to fulfil their social responsibilities through initiatives such as food and ventilator donations. Patients admitted to the COVID care centre supported and cooperated with one another, serving as sources of moral strength during those difficult times. Unfortunately, a few were exceptions; they failed to cooperate with healthcare workers and did not follow the cleanliness protocols prescribed within the centre.
During the second wave, the behaviour of the virus was particularly tricky and deceptive. Symptoms varied considerably from one individual to another, and predicting the course of the disease was often challenging. Unfortunately, we also lost several healthcare workers associated with our COVID care centre.
Amid these circumstances, our RT-PCR team went above and beyond its call of duty. We almost forgot everything else, including our designated duty hours, as we remained committed to serving humanity. Our priority was to ensure that patients received their test results within 24 hours so that those who tested positive could begin treatment without unnecessary delay.
Despite the exceptionally high sample counts, we maintained our technical standards and ensured that the entries on the ICMR portal were completed alongside the testing process. This helped us maintain transparency, accessibility and timely reporting, facilitating quicker treatment for patients. During this period, I gained invaluable experience in team administration and management, workload management, clinical data management, biomedical waste management, stress management, time management and troubleshooting. Most importantly, I experienced the real-time application of my subject in the field of human diagnostics during a global health crisis.
There were moments when I stumbled along this challenging path, but my mother was always there to motivate and encourage me. She inspired me to remain strong and continue serving our country as a COVID warrior.
There is one path I can hardly ever forget: the walk from the main gate of the hospital to the door of our PCR laboratory.
There were beds everywhere. Relatives of patients were crying, doctors were rushing, ward boys were running, and every healthcare worker was on their toes, trying desperately to save the life of every person admitted to the hospital.
One particular evening will remain etched in my memory forever.
It was around 6:30 to 7:00 p.m. when I finished my work in the laboratory and stepped outside. Just then, a family received the heartbreaking news that their loved one had passed away. Their grief erupted into an overwhelming outcry. At the same time, as it was the holy month of Ramadan, the Maghrib (evening) Azaan was being recited at a nearby mosque.
The sounds of grief and the Azaan merged and reverberated in my ears and mind.
The entire family was crying inconsolably. Amid them stood a teenage boy, frozen in shock. He knelt down, his eyes filled with pain and his mouth wide open, as though he, too, wanted to scream and cry, yet no sound emerged from him.
My mind went numb, and my heart felt unbearably heavy.
I somehow managed to walk out of the hospital, but from that moment until I reached the doorstep of my home, I could not stop my tears from rolling down my cheeks.
The countless deaths around us, the incessant sounds of ambulances and the distressing scenes unfolding throughout the hospital sometimes pushed me into a state of deep emotional distress. Yet, whenever I witnessed people of different ages recover and successfully overcome their battle against coronavirus infection, my heart found the strength to stand firm once again.
The smiling faces of the relatives of recovered patients filled me with positive energy and renewed my determination to continue my work with even greater enthusiasm.
It was this determination, coupled with the dedication of my entire team, that helped us cross the milestone of 50,000 RT-PCR tests in just five months and overall, 1, 40,000 tests.
This achievement was not merely a number. It represented countless hours of hard work, collective responsibility, technical precision, emotional endurance and an unwavering commitment to humanity.
Having faced the challenges of the second wave, we were then prepared and equipped with the experience and lessons we had gained to confront the possibility of a third wave of COVID-19.
One message I have always shared with my team is this: we survived the second wave, and we must consider this survival a new birth, a new life and a new opportunity to serve our fellow human beings.
We may feel that the virus has disappeared, but viruses continue to evolve and mutate. Therefore, certain habits must become an integral part of our lives. These include maintaining basic personal hygiene and cleanliness, washing our hands regularly, practising physical distancing when necessary, using clean masks when appropriate, staying up to date with recommended vaccinations and consuming well-cooked, nutritious food that supports overall health.
Since coronavirus infection can affect the lungs and respiratory system, breathing exercises such as pranayama and bhastrika may also be incorporated into one's wellness routine, provided they are practised appropriately. However, such exercises should not be considered substitutes for medical treatment or preventive measures.
Based on my experiences during the second wave, I realised that neither power nor money could guarantee protection from the crisis. Every human being must understand that life is unpredictable and that we should never take our own lives or the lives of others for granted by neglecting basic hygiene and cleanliness practices.
Every individual must stop spitting on roads and in public places. Cleanliness is not merely a personal responsibility; it is a collective social obligation.
While some sectors remained relatively unaffected, others, particularly daily-wage workers, suffered enormous financial losses. As responsible citizens of this country, we must extend whatever support we can to those affected, whether through small or significant contributions. Every effort matters when it comes to helping someone rebuild their life.
Another important lesson is that the money we earn should not only be spent judiciously to meet our present needs but also saved wisely for the future. The pandemic taught us that financial preparedness can make a significant difference during unforeseen circumstances.
Above all, good health must be recognised as one of the greatest forms of wealth we possess.
We must remain consciously aware that many families have been devastated, not only by financial crises but also by the loss of their loved ones. In the post-pandemic period, bridging these financial and emotional gaps will remain a significant challenge.
While some people may continue to approach cleanliness and health casually, others will consciously maintain better hygiene practices and adopt healthier nutritional habits. The need for employment and livelihood opportunities is likely to grow, calling for appropriate developmental strategies and initiatives. As citizens, we must also encourage local businesses, support local livelihoods and contribute to strengthening our communities.
As common citizens, we must learn to cooperate with one another and adapt to changing circumstances for a better future.
The medical and pharmaceutical sectors of our country will continue to play a significant role in strengthening our preparedness for future health challenges. Similarly, the decline in educational quality and learning continuity experienced during the shift to online education must be addressed through sustained efforts. Gradually, educational institutions can work towards improving learning outcomes, while the younger generation adapts to these transformations and prepares itself for the challenges ahead.
Looking back, my journey as a COVID warrior was not merely about performing laboratory tests or fulfilling professional responsibilities. It was about understanding the value of human life, witnessing the vulnerability of families, recognising the strength of teamwork and discovering the emotional resilience required to serve others during a crisis.
The experience taught me that science becomes truly meaningful when it is applied with responsibility, compassion and a commitment to humanity.
For me, crossing 1, 40, 000 RT-PCR tests will always remain a milestone of professional achievement, but the lives we tried to protect, the colleagues who stood beside us and the lessons humanity taught me will remain the most precious memories of my journey.
