COVID-19 tales: How BEST bus conductor returned to doing what he loves after recovering from COVID

BEST’s first COVID-19 survivor makes it to our list of 20 faces who defied fear and disease to follow their heart or duty and emerge ‘the first

First COVID-19 survivor from BEST 

Vivek Gawade, 53, Mumbai
Bus conductor, Brihanmumbai Electric Supply & Transport Undertaking 

Just a few days into the 2020 national lockdown, we received news of a BEST staffer—working at the Wadala garage—who lost the battle to COVID-19. I didn’t know him personally, and learnt of his death over WhatsApp. The magnitude of the crisis hit home. Our shifts had become unpredictable. Until before the pandemic, I was working on the Jogeshwari-Dahisar stretch (Route 203) and had an eight-hour shift. During the lockdown, on several occasions, I was posted on Route 33, leaving from the Goregaon bus depot, from where we’d head to Goregaon station, all the way up to Opera House, and back. I remember having a lot of nurses and staff from Jaslok Hospital on this route. On my part, I was taking all precautions.

Vivek Gawade

It was on the afternoon of April 10 that I suddenly developed a high fever. Since I am asthmatic, and I was aware that COVID-19 can damage the lungs, I decided against waiting it out. I rushed to a private hospital near my Mira Road residence. By 6.30 pm, my temperature began rising, so, I rushed to Tembha Hospital in Bhayandar West. When I told the staff that I was a bus conductor with the BEST, they wasted no time, and checked me into the COVID-19 ward.

My only symptom was high fever, but my family was worried about me developing breathing issues. The x-ray reports, fortunately, came out fine. The next day, the doctors did a nasal swab test for the infection. I tested positive two days later. It’s likely that I could have picked up the infection from the Jaslok staff, because nearly 35 of them had been found positive by April 19.

Soon after, my wife, who has several comorbidities, including thyroid, blood pressure and diabetes, began showing symptoms. She and my kids [20-year-old daughter and 18-year-old son] were quarantined at a nearby centre. I was worried that I couldn’t be there with them but fright couldn’t come in the way of my recovery. The hardest battles are fought in the mind. I knew I had to keep myself together.

Despite the symptoms easing up, a subsequent swab test showed that I was still COVID-19 positive. By then, my wife had been admitted in a ward close to mine, at the same hospital. We spoke regularly over video call, and did our best to keep each other’s spirits up. It was only 18 days later that I was discharged. I told my wife not to give up, and fortunately for us, she also came out after two days. 

Vivek Gawade has been working as bus conductor with the BEST for 28 years. While he rejoined work in July 2020 after the infection, he was able to resume conductor duties only 20 days ago

I, however, couldn’t join work immediately, because I got a reaction to the medicines, and developed boils all over my body. After resting it out for two months, I got back to work in July. By then, Mumbai had witnessed a peak in COVID-19 cases; the BEST officials decided to put me on the cash counter, instead of having me travel on the bus.

It was only 20 days ago that I stepped into a BEST bus again. I am back on Route 203, doing what I have been doing for the last 28 years. I had the will to live, and I was confident that I would get better. It has taken a year for my life to return to normalcy, and the experience has been life-changing.      

18
No. of days conductor Vivek Gawade spent at the hospital

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