Sunny Singapore Turns Rainy for Ms Sharina and Her Crew
Meet the Cast
- Ms Sharina Mohd Sharif (47) – the adult‑education boss who suddenly found herself in the hospital laundry line.
- Son – Tengku Raeesh Ammar Mohd Yusof, a spirited 3½‑year‑old with a virus‑accented sneeze.
- Dad – Mohammad Sharif Imam Khan Sahib, 75, currently warming up in Tan Tock Seng Hospital.
- Mom – Fatimah Bevi Abdul Kadeer, 68, fighting a cough‑and‑breath battle in Changi General Hospital.
- Brother – Mohd Faizal Khan Mohd Sharif, 45, sipping tea from home while staying out of the virus‑zone.
- Domestic Helper – the silent hero who caught a quick test green as the rest got red.
The Domino Effect
It all started when Mom’s flu‑y feelings nudged her to the general practitioner on September 17. She was the first to turn in a PCR swab; the lab, ever so prompt, returned a “yes, COVID‑19!” verdict the next day.
With the verdict in hand, Ms Sharina’s “COVID‑19 Command Center” kicked into high gear. She dutifully ran rapid antigen tests on her sister, brother and helper. The results? Mom and brother tested positive, while Sharina and the helper came up clean. All calm, until the bug decided to jump the next day.
Viral Surprise 2.0
Sharina and her little tot spiked a fever on September 22. They rushed to KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital. There, the doctor played the “you’re in too” card, and Sharina was fast‑tracked to a COVID‑isolation bay. Her son followed suit, and they became housemates in that room.
Respiratory Rumble
While Sharina’s migraine‑like fever loomed, Mom’s breathing turned into a dramatic opera. The medical team, chanting “call ambulance!” on a phone call from the isolation room, whisked her to Changi General Hospital.
Dad’s Timeout
Two days later, Father’s condition flared: breathlessness and a high fever demanded an escalator to Tan Tock Seng. That’s when the ambulance’s siren sounded again, taking him to the final stop in the COVID‑hospital lineup.
Vaccines? Mostly Paired Up
Every family member in the saga, except the mom and son, was fully vaccinated. The vaccine shield didn’t keep the virus from making its cameo.
Unsure & Unwounded
Sharina told The Straits Times, “We were in the waiting‑room of uncertainty, watching the virus’s next move.” She added a pinch of humour, “When the ambulance came to scoop up Dad, my siblings tried to line up him next to Mom. The paramedics? They were like, sorry, priority is medical care, not a family line‑up.”
Takeaway
When COVID‑19 comes peak‑season, the family becomes a living soap opera: fever, tests, hospital riots, and a never‑ending ambulance choir. Stay hydrated, stay vaccinated, and if you’re in Singapore, have a holiday plan that includes spare time for the medical system.
<img alt="" data-caption="(Clockwise from top left) Mr Mohd Sharif Imam Khan Sahib, Ms Sharina Mohd Sharif and Tengku Raheesh Ammar Mohd Yusof, Madam Fatimah Bevi Abdul Kader, Ms Sarifa Mohd Sharif, Mr Omar Mohd Sharif, and Mr Mohd Faizal Khan Mohd Sharif in a virtual call to coordinate help such as food and other resources to be delivered to the hospitals and the locations they are serving their quarantine in.
PHOTO: Sharina Mohd Sharif” data-entity-type=”file” data-entity-uuid=”6e26953d-eef7-4ef7-b31f-c4649c046b46″ src=”/sites/default/files/inline-images/btwarded220210926.jpg”/>
Family Face‑Off: Keeping Spirits (and Hearts) Up During COVID‑19
While the family’s medical situation looks reassuring – none of the parents are on ventilators – the mood is far from calm. Ms. Sharina’s main worry? Her brother, Mr. Faizal, who’s got a congenital heart defect and can suddenly lose consciousness. “I feel kanchiong (a Singlish term for anxious) for my grandparents and my brother,” she confesses.
What’s the Plan? Day Six & the PCR Test
They’re all holding their breath as the sixth‑day PCR swab rolls in. The result will tell each patient’s health status and decide when it’s safe to pull them out of isolation.
Team Support: From Kitchens to Communication Channels
- Smokey (Mr. Omar Mohd Sharif, 46) has become the family’s personal courier. He’s ferrying groceries, meds, and morale‑boosting snacks straight from hospital to home.
- Serafina (Ms. Sarifa Mohd Sharif, 50) is the unofficial “clinic‑bridge” operator, coordinating updates from two hospitals so the whole clan stays in the loop.
Daily 11 AM “Video Call” Vibes
Every morning at 11 am, the family swallows a virtual dose of support. “Those video calls are my daily booster pill,” Ms. Sharina says, delighted by the screen‑shared smiles. “Seeing the parents and brother do fine keeps my spirits up. We’re in this together, and soon we’ll wipe those screens and meet in person again.”
Bottom Line
With love, logistics, and a little digital cheer, this family is turning the pandemic into a collective adventure – one that’s keeping patients smiling, irrespective of the virus’s threats.
