Many ordinary day citizens from our daily lives have taken on the mantle of being lifesaving heroes for us during this pandemic. Your friendly neighborhood doctor, the nurse who used to bump into you at the Kirana store, the policeman who has flagged you down for driving back home very late night, or the Sarkari karamachari who picks the thrash from your colony every day whom you’ve probably not even noticed before—each one of them currently is putting their life at risk to save yours and the world at large. They are fulfilling not only their regular responsibilities right now but are also under the pressure of more tasks and workload. And the most distressing part? They are fighting a disease pandemic whose cure is not yet out but is highly contagious.

It is not easy being in their shoes. Their responsibilities are taking a heavy toll on their lives and the saddening part is that, they are putting their own concerns on the backburner in favor of dealing with the ever-growing pressure.

Our heroes of this war and so many more around the world are being crushed under an unanticipated and unparalleled workload. They accept their jobs and try to fulfill it, but with an overstretched demand for workforce and no clear picture of the near future, they also tend to breakdown emotionally, mentally, and physically. Serving in stressful and daunting work environments can affect their other rather normal work tasks. They are called on duty at short notice and for extended hours. For healthcare workers, once they put on their protective gear, using the washroom or going for a drink of water is also not an easy job. Often the garbage cleaners are ill-treated and more now so for the fear of contamination. And what makes their environment more stressful is not just the influx of patients or ensuring social distancing rules are maintained but also sometimes a lack of support and protective gear from the government and at other times stigmatization for being a COVID warrior or simply the incessant inflow of news of death and illness. Apart from these work pressures, they too have families and are naturally fearful that they might carry the virus back home to those they love the most and make the situation worse.

People usually tend to forget that our frontline warriors are humans too, and whatever they are doing is more than just their job and they also feel the sorrow of loss when a patient succumbs to the virus or people behave aggressively when asked to return homes and not loiter on the streets—they are left with a feeling of not being valued enough for their efforts. This feeling of not being in control and the anxiety puts them at an unprecedented risk of physical and mental burnout and they end up with feelings of feebleness, mental detachment, pessimism or bitterness towards their job and reduced professional efficacy. They are also prone to depression when they get to know that an acquaintance or a colleague has COVID19—the vulnerability increases and so does their distress.

But the times require all their strength and to gather and use it right, it is vital for the heroes of COVID19 to take care of themselves;

1. Simple things like looking after your own eating–sleeping cycle will help you to stay physically stable. Not indulging in any kind of addictive habits like smoking and alcohol consumption will help lower the feelings of agitation and restlessness. Also, stay away from listening to or reading about COVID19 numbers, its mortality rates, and other depressing news from around the world.
2. The recalcitrant conditions might make things seem like they are falling apart. In addition to that staying away from family or isolating yourself might leave one with a deep feeling of loneliness—an abyss difficult to cross over. So, whenever possible, make technology your friend and have called, video calls with your family and friends, and make sure that you stay in touch with them. 
3. Time and again, there would be situations when everything might seem out of control. You might start doubting yourself or feel as if you are fighting a losing battle. You might feel like sharing the burden with someone. During such times, ensure that you give a thought to online or telehealth counseling sessions. Having access to counseling services can recharge your strength and clear the cloudiness or burden before moving on again. 

Given the fact that this situation could be a long, drawn-out battle, letting the heroes of the war take time off seems improbable. Hence, it is necessary for them to take care of themselves most effectively and lovingly.