There have been anecdotal tales of how nurses in Singapore have been treated by their fellow countrymen.

The panic and fear that comes with a relatively unknown virus usually manifests in less-than-ideal behaviour among the public.

It was this virus that prompted a man across the causeway to come back. And rather ironically, it is the same virus, in some ways, that has left him struggling to find a place to stay.

Ong Wee Chee is an operational manager for an ambulance service in Malaysia. Well he was, until about two weeks ago.

Ong had heard about the first few coronavirus cases back in Singapore, and immediately rang up his contacts to check for a position he could take up.

Ong had grown up in Singapore. He had studied here, lived here, had friends here and, for a while, worked here.

In fact, he was an ambulance operator for the Singapore Red Cross, and a Safe Steps First Aid ambassador prior to heading back to Malaysia.

He had changed jobs after suffering an injury outside of work that made it difficult for him to continue as a ground paramedic.

But Ong, sensing a possibility that he could be of help to his friends, didn't hesitate to answer the call for help.

Ong quickly applied for a position as an ambulance paramedic in a private emergency ambulance service.

And that itself should have been the end of a lovely story about responsibility and friendship.

But things haven't gone so smoothly for him outside the work sphere.

Ong tells Mothership that he's been having a tough time trying to rent a room.

While his friends have offered to let him stay in their house, Ong declined these offers.

"I have friends who are nice enough to spare me a space, but I rejected both as I know them well that one has a really low immunity, the other have 2 young kids. I would rather keep the risk to myself, but not spreading to others."

Ong is trying to rent a room for himself, as he doesn't want to disturb anyone who might be sharing a space with him due to the irregular work hours.

But so far, no luck.

And Ong thinks he might know why.

"But the moment I mention I am working for ambulance services, they changed their mind, mostly used the standard rejection lines like, I would let you know asap and etc."

Which is a situation others in his field know far too well.

"I do hear about nurses facing the same problems as well from the landlords."

In fact as mentioned earlier, frontline staff usually face quite a bit of discrimination.

Ong tells us about the time a lady on the bus had commented loudly that "nurses in uniform might be the source of the virus spreading".

Which affected Ong enough to set her straight on the bus.

"...most of my friend that I know may wear uniform to work, but for some that work in high risk, they are given a fresh set of clothing to change into before work. They shower and change out before they leave the hospital to head home just like anyone of us, we definitely would not want to have any chance to spread it."

Ong attributes these reactions to ignorance, and them not understanding what these frontline personnel have to go through in their line of work.

As for his living arrangements, Ong has to cross the causeway back to Malaysia to rest up for the next day.

"Current one is once my work is firmed up, i would follow the roster, though tiring, but I still have to travel across the borders to get my rest."

The commute is a killer. He takes about two hours to go back, but close to four getting here.

Ong also mentioned that some other the health care workers do that too.

So for now, the man who crossed the causeway without hesitation when duty called has to cross that same causeway every night to get some rest.

But Ong isn't deterred. He points to his previous job crossing the causeway as an ambulance operations manager prior to this as experience for this rough transit.

As he puts it "just need to have ample rest, hydrate and eat when (he) can".

Perhaps soon, that rest can come in the country he's helping out in.

Image courtesy of Ong