Basha Mukherjee is self-isolating for one to two weeks until she can return to work as a doctor to help in coronavirus pandemic. “There’s no better time for me to be Miss England and helping England at a time of need,” she told CNN.

Indian-origin doctor Bhasha Mukherjee, who was crowned Miss England in 2019, has returned to the United Kingdom to help out on the frontlines in the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis.

The beauty queen, who took a break from the medical profession to focus on charity work abroad after competing in the Miss World competition last year, told CNN on Monday that she has returned to the United Kingdom to aid the medical professionals. She told that it felt wrong to be wearing her Miss England crown, even for humanitarian work, while people around the world were dying from coronavirus and her colleagues were working so hard.

As the COVID-19 situation worsened in the UK, Mukherjee was getting messages from former colleagues telling her how hard the situation was for them. “When you are doing all this humanitarian work abroad, you’re still expected to put the crown on, get ready… look pretty.” But, she added: “I wanted to come back home. I wanted to come and go straight to work.”

She is now back and is self-isolating for one to two weeks until she can return to work as a doctor at the Pilgrim Hospital. “There’s no better time for me to be Miss England and helping England at a time of need,” she told CNN.

Mukherjee, who shifted from Kolkata at the age of 8, specializes in respiratory medicine. Invited to be an ambassador for several charities, she had taken a break from her medical career briefly. She was in India at the beginning of March for a community charity. She also visited Africa, Turkey, Pakistan, and other Asian countries.

source: http://www.indianexpress.com / The Indian Express / Home> Coronavirus Outbreak / by Express Web Desk / New Delhi / April 07th, 2020