These couples are together in fight against Covid-19 in Ahmedabad

Parth Shastri | TNN | May 6, 2020, 06:56 IST

Shweta and Minesh Patel in the field

AHMEDABAD: When Shweta Patel, 25, tells her husband Minesh, 31, to take care while embarking on on duty every morning, it’s not just a routine wish-you-well-for-the-day gesture. While Minesh oversees operation of ambulances at eight locations in Ahmedabad city and periphery in the current Covid-19 crisis, Shweta works as an emergency medical technician (EMT) with Nava Vadaj ambulance and checks more than 20 persons daily for symptoms of Covid-19. Both, through the virtue of their work, run high risk of contracting the viral infection. It is due to personal and professional reasons then that the two keep reminding each other to strictly adhere to safety protocols.
The couple fell in love while working with EMRI and got married. Minesh was an ambulance pilot then and Shweta an EMT.
Natives of Mehsana district, the couple used to commute to work earlier but have rented a house in city to work unabated during the Covid-19 outbreak. “High number of cases in Ahmedabad has my parents worried but they know our work is important for the society,” says Minesh. He says they have consciously chosen to stay away from family so as not to expose them to the virus.
Jashvant Prajapati, COO of EMRI 108, said they try to ensure the work roster is arranged in a way that the couple can see each other. “But it’s not possible always. They have not taken leave for past 45 days. Shweta alone is responsible for handling about 450-500 calls during this period. Minesh ensures that all the ambulances under his jurisdiction are in working order and respond well in time,” he said.
For Mayur Prajapati and his wife Mittal, both EMTs with EMRI 108 ambulances at Vastral and Odhav locations respectively, it’s not possible to work together.
“We have got married just five months back. We were planning to take a break for some days but by that time, the Covid-19 outbreak was reported and several of the cases were reported from our areas,” recounts Mayur.
The couple said that apart from their locations, their shift timings are also different. “In past 45 days, it has happened several times that we are only in touch over phone. We daily pray for each other’s safety and safety of the entire society so that we overcome this pandemic successfully,” says Mittal.