I don't hug my children, maintain social distancing: Shadab Khan

Midday online journalists interact with the frontline workers in a new series Real heroes of coronavirus Media photographers reporters railway staff and medical workers tell their stories of grit determination and everyday challenges in times of the pandemicMidday senior photographer Shadab Khan is out on the field capturing striking photos of people healthworkers the police and the city as part of his daily assignment at a time when coronavirus pandemic is spreading rapidly in Mumbai and the entire nation is under lockdownView this post on InstagramAlhamdulillah just got to know that my covid19 swab test report is Negative by the grace of god I tested my self 2 days ago during the special covid19 test for Media persons who are on field by BMC medical team in Mumbai as our services comes under essential services during this pandemic we have to work on field and visit to all over the city for relentlessly bringing out timely good pictures news and updates daily through all the perils and under the most trying conditions Special thanks to my_bmc cmomaharashtra_ middayindiaA post shared by Shadab Khan photographer_shadab onApr 25 2020 at 353am PDTWe spoke to Shadab Khan about his work and what its like to be a news photographer in times of pandemicHeres an excerpt from the interviewHow has the global pandemic impacted your workThe coronavirus outbreak hasnt affected our work as such Since we come under the essential service providers and ours is a field job its the same daily routine The focus is more on pandemic photos as we visit sensetive areas and try to get pictures of people who may have broken lockdown rules and also capture shots of how the police are handling the situation Nowadays we also visit contaminated areas to get photos of medical staffs conducting COVID19 tests and get visuals of the epidemic situation in Mumbai For us the work has only increased due to the outbreak of the global pandemicNowadays do you prepare yourself mentally before going out on assignmentsTo be honest there is no mental preparation as such But I offer prayers five times a day and pray that I go safely and come back home safely As a mediaperson I also consume a lot of news and keep reading about the International guidelines laid down for photojournalists as to what precautions should be taken I do this as it helps me to stay motivated in the fight against coronavirus It is the first time that I am experiencing a pandemic which has changed our lives I have never covered something like this ever before Although I have covered riots and other sensetive events a pandemic that takes place only once in 100 years is a different experience I have been followinginternational reports and guidelines to take precaution and prepare mentally to fight the COVID19 crisisShadab makes sure that his equipment bag and mobile are sanitised in order to take precautions against COVID19How do you protect yourselfFace mask hand sanitisers and hand gloves are mandatory when I am leaving the house With the increasing number of cases in Mumbai we have to take extra precautions as our camera equipment is metal While shooting we are constantly handling the camera with our hands and our eyes are exposed when we are focusing to click the pictures To ensure our safety we sanitise the camera every two to three hours Besides the equipment I also sanitise my mobile phone with a spray sanitiser that I carry with me After completimg a shooting assignment in a contaminated area I make sure that the camera equipment is sanitised before keeping them in the bagDo you take any precaution while heading back home after doing onfield reportingThough it is risk to be outside during the pandemic the real challenge begins when we get back home to be with our families Since the outbreak of the coronavirus I have isolated myself to another room and make sure that I maintain social distancing with my family members While leaving for work and after coming back home I dont hug my children Since day one I am practising selfquarantine to keep my family safe and away from any risk Infact I take more precautions at home than I do while I go out The epidemic is so dangerous that one cannot be sure how the infection will strikeView this post on InstagramA man sleeping outside his house during lockdown to prevent the spread of new coronavirus at Vakola in Mumbai Wednesday April 15 2020 Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday extended the worlds largest coronavirus lockdown to head off the epidemics peak with officials racing to make up for lost time PICSHADAB KHAN PaparazziFashionbollywoodlovemyjobphotographyMumbaiIndiamiddayindiacovid19fightagainstcoronaA post shared by Shadab Khan photographer_shadab onApr 16 2020 at 809am PDTDuring the COVID19 coverage did you face scary moments Which has been your scariest momentIt is scary to visit crowded localities nowadays to cover the pandemic In the beginning it was not a problem but since the police have imposed strict rules in these areas we are facing issues On few occasions people in these localities have attacked and abused us blaming the media for the strict police action But all localities are not the same We keep calm and ensure that we dont fight back or argue with the people when faced with a hostile situation To ensure our own safety we move out of the place quickly if we are confronted by the crowdDid you face challenges from the police while covering the COVID19 pandemicIn the beginning the police officials were not aware that the media comes under the essential services list and stopped us from entering certain areas which led to arguments sometimes But gradually they understood and let us do our jobs When they see the cameras and we show them our press cards they ask us where we are going and all thats itHow is your department and the organisation supporting youWe are getting the support of our department and the organisation in every possible way I have been working in midday for 15 years and the organisation has been always supportive our managers do not pressurise us for assignments My reporting officer calls twice a day and inquires about my whereabouts and tells me to be extra careful while visiting contaminated zones and avoid going to sensitive areas frequently We are always told to ensure safety first before workShadab feels that practicing social distancing in Dharavi where people are cramped in small houses is nearly impossibleAlthough he covers different areas every day Shadab makes it a point to visit a contaminated area at least once a day to check if any new development has taken place Speaking about Dharavi which has emerged as one of the biggest contaminated zones in Mumbai Shadab said I visit Dharavi to see how the labourers are doing and how the small scale industries are coping with the COVID19 epidemicEveryone is talking about social distancing but it is not possible in Dharavi Most houses in the locality are 8X8 small houses with 8 to 10 people cramped inside In order to click a picture one has to stand at the door and shoot social distancing in areas such as Dharavi is almost impossible The lanes in Dharavi are so narrow that if people are coming from the other side it is impossible to walk past them without making physical contact added ShadabBesides Dharavi Shadab carries out his photo assignments in Bandra Sion and WadalaWhat is your message to the general publicWe are out on the roads because we have a responsibility as essential service providers I would request people to stay home as far as possible Only by staying home will you be safe Follow the guidelines laid down by the government and maintain social distancingCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and a complete guide from food to things to do and events across Mumbai Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates MidDay is now on Telegram Click here to join our channel middayinfomedialtd and stay updated 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