Work non-stop or stay at home? For the 18 members of this Kolkata lab, the answer was tough but clear

At the Beleghata office, the team’s workspace includes a small room next to the lab with a round table at the centre surrounded by computers, tabulation sheets, and piles of papers and reports.

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The 18 lab members handle 500 calls a day apart from testing samples.

Ananya Chatterjee is up at 6 am after working late into the night, leaving her with no time for her eight-month-old baby girl. Madhumonti Biswas has moved to her parents’ home to be near her workplace. Hasina Banu and Agniva Majumdar handle over 500 phone calls every day. All of them are part of an 18-member team of doctors, virologists and microbiologists at the Regional Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratory at the National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases in Kolkata. This has been their daily routine since February 17, when widespread testing began for the coronavirus.

At the Beleghata office, the team’s workspace includes a small room next to the lab with a round table at the centre surrounded by computers, tabulation sheets, and piles of papers and reports. Phones ring constantly, with queries pouring in from health department officials, government hospitals, and worried city residents. Apart from screening and testing samples, the team processes data and liaises with the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune while keeping state officials and government hospitals in the loop.

“Our work officially starts from 10 am but continues till late into the night. I get to spend only a little time in the morning and in the night with my baby. My mother and domestic help take care of her. But we try to maintain a smile always because what we are doing is very important work, given the situation,” says Ananya, 34, who holds a PhD in Molecular Biology.

“I got married in December, and it takes about two hours to reach the office from my husband’s home in Howrah. In February, I returned to my parents’ home in Sinthi, which is an hour away, because I wanted to be near the lab,” says Madhumati, 28, who has completed a Masters in Molecular Biology.

So far, the team has tested over 200 samples, initially catering to West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand, Sikkim and the North-Eastern states. But now, with the NIV bringing in other labs in the system, the focus is on West Bengal and Sikkim.

At work, it takes anywhere between three and 24 hours to conduct the tests and issue reports. But at home, the challenge is of a different kind.

“The owner of the apartment where a team member lives asked her to vacate after coming to know that she conducts Coronavirus tests. We had to convince him that we are in a safe environment,” says Hasina, 34, an MD in Medical Microbiology who hails from Murshidabad. “We have told our families that we take extra precautions at work. Yet, they are always concerned,” says Agniva, an MD in Microbiology.

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Then there’s Rudrak Gupta, whose two-hour drive from office in the west to home at Behala Chowrasta in the east is a “nightmare”. Soumen Mukherjee, 42, who holds a PhD in Biotechnology from IIT-Kharagpur assures that the team is used to handling “very infectious diseases”.

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Ravik Bhattacharya

Ravik Bhattacharya is a highly experienced and award-winning journalist currently serving as the Chief of Bureau of The Indian Express, Kolkata. With over 20 years of experience in the media industry, Ravik possesses deep expertise across a wide range of critical subjects and geographical areas. Experience & Authority Current Role: Chief of Bureau, The Indian Express, Kolkata. Expertise: Extensive reporting across West Bengal, Odisha, Assam, and the Andaman Nicobar Islands. Ravik specializes in politics, crime, major incidents and issues, and investigative stories, demonstrating a robust command of complex and sensitive subjects. Experience: His long and distinguished career includes key reporting roles at several prestigious publications, including The Asian Age, The Statesman, The Telegraph, and The Hindustan Times. Ravik's current role marks his second stint with The Indian Express, having previously served as a Principal Correspondent in the Kolkata bureau from 2005 to 2010. Major Award: Ravik's authority and quality of work are substantiated by his winning of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award in 2007 for Political Reporting. Education: His strong academic foundation includes a Bachelor's degree with English Honours from Scottish Church College under Calcutta University, and a PG Diploma in Mass Communication from Jadavpur University. Ravik Bhattacharya's extensive tenure, specialized beat coverage, and notable award confirm his status as a trusted and authoritative voice in Indian journalism, particularly for stories emanating from Eastern India. ... Read More

Atri Mitra

Atri Mitra is a highly accomplished Special Correspondent for The Indian Express, bringing over 20 years of experience to his reporting. His work is characterized by deep regional knowledge and a focus on critical administrative and political developments, establishing strong Expertise and Authority in his domain. Experience Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express. Decades of Experience: Over two decades of extensive reporting experience, primarily covering administration and political news. Geographical Focus: Holds significant reporting experience from West Bengal, Bihar, and the North-East, providing a comprehensive understanding of the socio-political landscape in these regions. Key Coverage: Has dedicated more than ten years to covering administration and political news, with a keen focus on political developments in West Bengal. Electoral Reporting: Demonstrated a commitment to crucial political moments, having covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections during his time at Anandabazar Patrika, and the 2019 Bihar Lok Sabha election while working with News18-Bangla. Career Foundation: Began his career at the leading vernacular daily Anandabazar Patrika, where he worked for more than fifteen years, including a three-year stint as the Bihar correspondent. Education Advanced Degree: Holds a Master's degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University, providing an analytical framework for his political and administrative reporting. Undergraduate Education: Holds a Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University. Prestigious Alumni: His educational background includes attending esteemed institutions: he is an alumnus of St. Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur. Atri Mitra's decades of dedicated reporting, substantial focus on political and administrative beats, and solid academic credentials make him a trusted and authoritative source for news and analysis from Eastern and North-Eastern India. ... Read More