With longer shifts, annual leave cancelled, and social gatherings suspended, Muslim healthcare workers spoke to BuzzFeed News about how Ramadan looks completely different this year.
that if medical staff struggle to adapt to fasting on shift, they can refrain from fasting while at work.
While so far he has been able to fast every day, Ali said he is open to the idea of not fasting should he need to and has welcomed the support and guidance provided by Islamic community leaders on this. Ramadan is not just about fasting — it is time to come together with family, friends, and the wider community; to develop spiritually; and to devote time to charity projects. Many Muslims look forward to the month of Ramadan — including the fasting — all year round.
“I will always find that fasting when you're working can be a bit of a lonely experience,” he said, “because you sort of breaking your fast by yourself.” Ali was living in an extended family setup and did consider moving out to live alone, but instead moved out with his wife and children, as his parents are in a vulnerable group, and he did not want to put them at risk.
“We gather in mosques in our homes, and it's not uncommon to have massive iftar feasts,” she said. “So have multiple generations in the family eating together, for the evening meal and again for the dawn meal. “I'm a pediatric registrar by background. So before I was in adult ICU, I worked with kids, so I'm used to busy shifts, and I'm used to working 13, 14, 15 hours and fasting. The PPE is a whole other level of strain on the body.”
In normal years she would go for “iftar dates” at her friends’ houses, where they would take turns to host, and then they would head to the mosque for late-night Taraweeh prayers. Farzana said she has accepted that there are days that she may not be able to fast, but that Muslims do not have to fast — if you are sick, or working a tough shift in heavy PPE on a medical ward, it’s fine to make the days up later or donate some money to charity instead.“Allah understands. It's as simple as that,” she added.
“After a shift, you’d be in one room, we’d probably eat together, break your fast. We're not really having that now because of social distancing.” At work, the biggest change is having to wear heavy PPE — gowns, visors, hats, FFP3 face masks — but he said he has still managed to fast every day so far.
Although he acknowledges that some people may find it difficult to fast, he said he intends to stick with it if he can. “Eid, unfortunately, I’m actually on long days for the whole weekend,” he said. “All of our annual leave has been cancelled. So unfortunately, I'll be celebrating in the hospital.”It is not just doctors who are having to adapt during Ramadan — across the NHS Muslim porters, nurses, healthcare assistants, and cleaners are all working hard in the battle against coronavirus.
However, she tries to maintain a level of social distancing at home, does her laundry separately, and has to spend periods eating and praying alone if she has been into contact with symptomatic patients. However, this year, he said, “it’s strange, it’s completely different”. He would normally spend his downtime away from work at the mosque, or visiting family and friends, but this year that hasn’t happened.Like hospital staff, he has to wear PPE and said that working at night makes this easier, and so far he hasn’t had any problems swapping to later shifts.
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