The global pandemic broke out unexpectedly when 2020 was just at its beginning and people around the world were hoping for a new year filled with happiness, peace, and success. In just a few days, our lives were turned upside down due to social distancing, traveling restrictions, and stay-at-home obligations. Instead of schools and offices getting busy for productive working days, hospitals and medical institutions are crowded with patients in severe conditions.
The spirit of great solidarity, empathy, and sacrifice of the doctors, nurses, as well as security guards, social workers, and volunteers has been creatively and respectfully portrayed in 29 illustrations by a 39-year-old Iranian artist
Alireza Pakdel. To Alireza, today’s situation is the superhero movie in which viruses are threatening humans and they are the protagonists coming to the rescue.
Following is 29 illustrations of Alireza, calling out and urging people to take good care of themselves and pay the utmost respect to the heroes protecting human in silence.
#1
Source: ALIREZA PAKDEL
With their medical knowledge and treatment, the doctors now serve as a bridge, giving the patients a path to escape from the deadly virus.
#2
Source: ALIREZA PAKDEL
Other social workers, such as firefighters, are the doctors' and nurses' allies, serving and protecting the country together. In this illustration, the plant 'Samani' and the religious bible 'Quran' symbolize peace and safety in Iranian culture.
#3
Source: ALIREZA PAKDEL
Since there was no cure for this respiratory disease at the time of Alireza doing these illustrations, to the doctors, fighting against this invisible enemy was like finding their own way through an unknown maze.
#4
Source: ALIREZA PAKDEL
Wearing medical masks serves as the basis and the fundamental to the doctors' ability to protect and cure the citizens from this deadly virus.
#5
Source: ALIREZA PAKDEL
In Iranian culture, the book Quran is the symbol of safe returns. Due to the immediate need of doctors and medical workers, many undergraduate medicine students have volunteered to leave their home and serve their country.
#6
Source: ALIREZA PAKDEL
While many people have been badly infected by this widely-spread respiratory virus, numerous individuals still undermine the seriousness of the current situation and neglect the social-distancing requirements.
#7
Source: ALIREZA PAKDEL
At the same time, in order to save lives and protect the community from the lethal pandemic, doctors and nurses have been separated from their families for weeks, or even months.
#8
Source: ALIREZA PAKDEL
It is the doctors and the nurses who are giving the patients positivity and hope for a better future life after the pandemic has been defeated.
#9
Source: ALIREZA PAKDEL
Not only should we honor the doctors and nurses directly fighting against the virus, but other social workers deserve the utmost respect for their time and sacrifice as well.
#10
Source: ALIREZA PAKDEL
When the disease is the 'handcuff' refraining and limiting us from living our safe and sound life, it is the doctors and nurses who are 'breaking' it with their attentive service and treatment.
#11
Source: ALIREZA PAKDEL
Street cleaners and garbage collectors also deserve a praise for keeping the environment clear from medical rubbish, including masks, gloves and syringes, and keeping us safe from undesirable exposure to the virus.
#12
Source: ALIREZA PAKDEL
It is home where everyone can be safe and the pandemic can be defeated.
#13
Source: ALIREZA PAKDEL
In the contrary, the deadly disease is waiting to infect you as soon as you leave your home, your safest place on Earth.
#14
Source: ALIREZA PAKDEL
How wonderful are the doctors and nurses when they are able to fight against a fatal virus while keeping the peace and well-being of their society.
#15
Source: ALIREZA PAKDEL
Staying at home is the most powerful way an ordinary citizen like us can do to stop the spread of this disease, end the global pandemic and bring back our normal life.
#16
Source: ALIREZA PAKDEL
Just by staying at home safe and sound with our family, we are also helping the doctors and nurses in saving the society from this deadly virus.
#17
Source: ALIREZA PAKDEL
The translation is "We will defeat Corona", depicting Alireza's determination to fight against the virus and encouraging his readers to join him in this journey.
#18
Source: ALIREZA PAKDEL
The celebration depicting in this illustration is the Iranian Half Seen tradition, a joyful holiday meant to be spent with family and loved ones, not on the hostipal bed amid a global pandemic. The doctors and nurses are such angels with hidden wings that they always do the best at what they can to make their patients feel like home.
#19
Source: ALIREZA PAKDEL
With their medical knowledge and expertise, the doctors are always at the forefront, directly dealing with the fatal virus and the unpredictable death.
#20
Source: ALIREZA PAKDEL
It is the doctors that are safe-guarding the patient's live from this dangerous wide-spreading virus.
#21
Source: ALIREZA PAKDEL
Alongside with the doctors and nurses, there are voluntary social workers who are dedicating and sacrificing themselves to this arduous fight against this tiny yet fatal organism.
#22
Source: ALIREZA PAKDEL
No one else other than the mindful doctors are saving people's lives from the attack of this unpredictable pandemic.
#23
Source: ALIREZA PAKDEL
Directly facing the deadly virus, doctors and nurses are protecting their country, just the same as how soldiers and firefighters have sacrificed themselves to the peace and well-being of their homeland.
#24
Source: ALIREZA PAKDEL
Since there has been no cure for this new dangerous virus, doctors are trying their best holding back the time while waiting for a vaccine is produced and licensed for public use, which will potentially put an end to this pandemic once and for all.
#25
Source: ALIREZA PAKDEL
Swiping away the virus, doctors are also keeping their patient's heart keeping beating.
#26
Source: ALIREZA PAKDEL
It is every doctor's wish that the citizens would obidiently adhere to social-distancing regulations since they all know so well that anyone going outside is at risk of spreading the pandemic.
#27
Source: ALIREZA PAKDEL
A new wave of this deadly virus can break out at any time if people neglect to wear masks in public and breach the social-distancing requirements.
#28
Source: ALIREZA PAKDEL
Instead of wearing masks and comply with regulations, some people are enticed to consume unauthorised medicine claimed to cure completely this disease.
#29
Source: ALIREZA PAKDEL
Staying at home instead of travelling elsewhere is what doctors are trying to encourage people to do, since they understand the hardship of this pandemic better than anyone else.