I felt a bit nervous about helping with the clean-up operation at Lower Ngau Tau Kok Estate last month because it was during the height of the outbreak - right after Amoy Gardens. We had protective suits, caps and masks. Many of the elderly people we visited were expecting us. They weren't scared by our protective clothing, despite what some media reports said. Some were so eager to see us that they asked us what took us so long. We taught them how to wear a mask and explained how to use disinfectant pills and the correct concentration for a bleach solution. Some were so scared of Sars that they did not leave the house for a whole week. Our task was also to convince them to come out and interact with the community again. Many of them were speaking very softly so we had to put our faces very close to them. During the visit some dirty water dripped into my ear from the pipes overhead. I didn't think about it at the time but later on I started worrying that I might get infected. We had to call the Red Cross office two weeks after the cleanup to let them know whether we were showing any symptoms. When I told them I was okay, the person who answered was so happy. Luckily, everyone else was okay too. I was disappointed about the media reports on the Lower Ngau Tau Kok cleanup because most of them were negative. Instead of focusing on the positive aspect of helping the elderly, they picked on Betty Tung's outfit. I think the suits were necessary. When I heard the criticism on Teacup in the Storm [radio talk-show] I wanted to call and express my feelings. They accused us of wasting resources and wasting money on the suits. The Red Cross bought the suits. It's not as if hospital workers would not have any because we used them. I sent an e-mail to our secretary-general a few days later. I wanted him to clarify to the public that it was not Mrs Tung's personal decision to use the suit. We consulted many doctors and professors. I also wanted to tell him to tell Mrs Tung, our president, that we appreciated what she did despite the negative reactions. As told to Niki Law. If you have a story to share, contact niki.law@scmp.com
