🏆 A Bangladeshi migrant worker tears up after a nasopharyngeal swab

Extract from Author

A Bangladeshi migrant worker tears up after a nasopharyngeal swab on Apr 28, 2020. The swab test collects a sample of nasal secretions from the back of the nose and throat, causing a discomfort to nerve endings that elicits tears and coughing.

Judges’ Comments

Kevin Lim’s behind-the-scenes photographs capture movingly, exquisitely, the battle against Covid-19 at a hospital in Singapore. 

Author’s Reflection

What is your personal takeaway from your SOAP story?
With every granted access, and in my case access to a hospital to document the spike in Covid-19 cases involving migrant workers, comes a responsibility towards capturing visuals that do justice to their story.

Now that your story has been published for some time, do you have any reflections to share post-publishing?
I firmly believe that these visuals I captured, and these stories we told and continue to tell as a community, will provide a valuable record of the times. It's paramount that we do what we do, so as to remind, to educate and even to change mindsets.

What did you hope to convey to readers through this story?
I wanted this story to be a window for readers to look into and better understand the efforts of front-line workers as well as the procedures migrant workers had to go through in the hospital, especially during a time where some front-line workers were shunned and migrant workers were maligned and blamed for the Covid-19 problem. Beyond conveying to readers visuals that captured the spate of events in the hospital and plight of migrant workers, I also hoped the story could add to the discussion of migrant worker issues, provoke the thoughts of some and challenge the mindsets of others along the way.

How do you feel for being recognised for your work?
As a photojournalist, I tend to be more story-centric. It's more important to get the story out, told far and wide, than being recognised for it. But this award does represent a vindication of my efforts, and that is both heartening and encouraging. I'm thankful.

Photographed by
Kevin Lim

Thursday,
7 May 2020

Visual of the Month, Winner