Siti Zawiyah was on attachment with a New Jersey hospital when the outbreak and panic-buying happened, and her flight back home was cancelled.
SINGAPORE: Within Siti Zawiyah’s first week in America, when COVID-19-fuelled panic buying began, a colleague bought her bags and bags of groceries – so many that she had to make a few trips to carry them all in from her colleague’s car.
By week three, Siti was recalled to Singapore by the Ministry of Health – but not before experiencing how a terrible situation brought out the best in people she barely knew.When Siti’s family landed in New Jersey on Mar 7, there had been just a handful of confirmed cases of coronavirus infection in the state, and anxiety over COVID-19 had not yet escalated.
On Mar 13, when a national emergency was declared across the United States, the panic-buying began. That’s when Siti’s colleague, Maria, appeared like a reassuring guardian angel with the groceries. Streets were emptied in New Jersey as people were told to stay home, and all non-essential businesses closed.
"She sent us to the airport at 5.45am for our 10.45am flight, with an impossible amount of luggage fit into her car. We’re so, so thankful for her.”Upon landing at Changi Airport, Siti’s family and their fellow travellers were received by immigration officers, and ushered in small groups aboard shuttle buses which took them straight to Village Hotel Sentosa.“After an 18-hour flight, it was nice to see local faces smiling at us,” said Siti.
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