Healthcare professionals are "corona saviors" not "warriors".

During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the role of doctors and healthcare professionals came into highlight as they are at the forefront since the onset of the pandemic, keeping themselves and their families at risk just to treat this disease and save lives. However, healthcare workers are not warriors. Let our healthcare professionals be called as "Corona Saviors" instead of "Corona Warriors" without any prejudice; they are the "Angels of Saviors of Health." Copyright:

Background

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been declared as a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the spread is in more than 200 countries. There are national emergencies and lockdowns in most of the countries to fight against this disease. During this pandemic, the role of doctors and healthcare professionals came into highlight as they are at the forefront, keeping themselves and their families at risk just to treat this disease and save lives. Various inspiring stories about the role of healthcare workers against COVID-19 have been repeatedly flashed in news around the world. And to praise the role of doctors and healthcare workers, especially in India and mediatized also, they are being called as “COVID Warriors.” At times phrases are being used to encourage the workforce but it may be an act of injustice to an individual or a group or a society whatsoever. So has happened with the doctors by assigning them an inappropriate adjective as a warrior. As a dedicated doctor, we find this a degradation from the elevated level of “Savior” to a “Warrior.”

What Does “Warriors” Mean? The “Warrior” word is used for a person engaged or experienced in warfare. Warrior was the term used in the earliest prestate societies, considered to be a definitive male activity. Warriors took upon a special type of costumes and equipment that had their symbolic significance. Fighting was considered a prestigious activity, but only when associated with status and power. Doctors and their supportive healthcare workers had never been involved in such type of activity, neither before nor during this pandemic. They were never involved in either showing dominance or expansion of the territory of any country. This is the role of our soldiers. Whereas, the “Savior” word may refer to a person who helps people achieve salvation, or saves them from a crisis.

Role of doctors and the healthcare workers during COVID-19 pandemic. This novel duty of “Savior” is being served by doctors and supportive healthcare workers during this pandemic and there is no gender dominance. All over the world, both males and females from the medical fraternity are contributing equally. But with the onset of this pandemic suddenly all over the world doctors and their supportive healthcare staff became overworked. Despite the shortage of various infrastructures in different regions of globe, they are continuing to serve humanity to save the lives of others even by keeping their own life at risk. Thousands of healthcare workers have been infected, and infection-related deaths are rising and being reported from all over the world. Dealing with this pandemic is not easy for anyone, but it’s especially hard on healthcare workers and they are doing this at best beyond their physical and mental capacity and have adapted the new and tough way of working pattern. Not all countries have adequate infrastructure and protective equipment for use by healthcare workers, even during this situation and collapsing healthcare system they continued working due to which enough healthcare workers get sick. Healthcare workers did not sign up for such a dangerous job, so all over the world healthcare system obliged its workers and they must be recognized respectfully by society.

Why “Saviors” not “Warriors?” COVID-19 has challenged our commitment and has become a litmus test for our profession, character, focus, strength, and passion to care for the sickest, in the hope that even amid despair and desperation, we are somehow making a difference in everyone’s life, we have the privilege to touch and heal.[1] When life will return to normalcy around the globe, we are hopeful that the commitment toward the duty of healthcare workers to save life and humanity throughout this crisis will be recognized and appropriately acknowledged. Obviously, we do not have any malice to any adjective or activity. We are interested in calling them with an adjective or noun that is actually justified for the role of doctors and the medical fraternity. What doctors have been doing and expected from the days of aborigines have been with the novel objective of restoring life taking/enduring pains to any extent unlike warriors do. We have every respect for the Warriors who not only fight to safeguard the pride of the nation but also stand by the whole of the people to overthrow valiantly whatever be the calamities.

Conclusion

Let us have the opportunity to put forward the concepts as to how these words were coined and let our doctors be called “Corona Saviors” instead of “Corona Warriors” without any prejudice. And yes, healthcare professionals are “Saviors” not “Warriors” and their supportive workers and essential service providers are “Angels of Saviors of Health.” When life will return to normalcy around the globe, we are hopeful that the bravery and commitment toward the duty of healthcare workers to save the life and humanity throughout this crisis will be recognized and appropriately acknowledged.

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Conflicts of interest

There are no conflicts of interest.