Dr Jamal Rifi gives up his front yard and retirement plans to fight Covid

For the past 18 months, Jamal Rifi hasn't seen his front yard in Sydney because it has been covered by two tents for swabbing and testing Covid patients

JAMAL RIFI LOVES his front yard. Its neat circular driveway, walking outside in the morning to see sun and greenery.

But for the past 18 months, he hasn't seen the green because it has been covered by two enormous tents. And not the fun kind of tents, not the camping and starry nights kind. They are the COVID kind; drive through tents for swabbing and testing patients. And he keeps having to make them bigger.

But Dr Rifi dreams of camping; far, far away from here. Of hitting the road in his new customised motorhome, a reward to himself after 30 years of tireless service to his community. Of going right to the top of Australia, the country that has been so good to him and his family.

Away from the responsibility of being at the frontline, the epicentre, of COVID-19 and the Delta strain in south-west Sydney.

And away especially from the thousands of phone calls every day "I answer each and every one of them". In his holiday dream, there is no phone reception at all.

Dr Rifi says it's his "duty" as a doctor to work tirelessly to keep his community safe.

At times last year, when he worked until he collapsed with exhaustion, he would sit in bed at night and look at brochures of motorhomes.

"It transported me from my present reality, preserved my sanity rather than reflecting about what happened during the day," Dr Rifi says.

FULL STORY Jamal Rifi gives up his front yard and retirement plans to fight COVID-19 in heart of Sydney Delta strain outbreak (ABC)