FRONT-LINE FIGHTERS AGAINST COVID-19 There were mixed reactions when the virus hit early in the year - some people were wary, others complacent - but an army of front-liners had been gearing up behind the scenes to keep Singapore safe. When cases began to rise, healthcare workers were ready. They had been trained to use personal protective wear and ensure good hygiene practices to reduce the chances of infection. Other essential staff continued to show up at work to keep things running, despite the personal risk it involved. These front-liners had to make sacrifices on other fronts. Nurse clinician Abdul Wahab, 54, saw his mother just three times this year before she died last month.