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Newborn in Dubai yanks off his doctor’s mask

Why Dubai doctor’s instagram pic of being unmasked by a baby went viral

Last updated: October 15, 2020 | 18:38

Suchitra Bajpai Chaudhary, senior reporter

2 MIN READ

Dr Samer Cheaib with the newborn.

Courtesy: Dr Samer Cheaib's Instagram

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Dubai: The picture of a newborn pulling off the mask from the gynaecologist’s face posted on Instagram went viral, much to the surprise of the doctor in question. Dr Samer Cheaib, the bearded, unmasked doctor in the photo, was bemused when contacted by Gulf News.

A Lebanese expatriate, Cheaib, 42 and single, loves being around babies. A fertility expert with the NMC-owned Dr Fakih's IVF clinic in Dubai, Dr Cheaib thinks motherhood is special and women must not be afraid and experience this beautiful state. Talking about the photograph he said: “This was no IVF baby, but from a mother who had conceived naturally. This baby was second in a pair of twins I delivered a couple of weeks ago. The delighted father was taking picture of me holding each baby. The second baby just yanked my mask off and the father felt he needed to capture this moment.”

Dr Cheaib thought the picture was a sign of our times as it was symbolising the natural instinct of humans to take off the masks. So he posted it on his private Instagram account. “I never thought I would get such an overwhelming response to the picture. It was such a spontaneous response from the baby. People warmed up to it because it is portending the end of COVID-19. Everyone wants to take off the mask soon and who knows we will be able to soon. There was some positivity in the picture and I think it brings a smile to the face of people who see it. The positivity and smile will work to boost people’s immunity and help towards combating this pandemic. The little new born wanted a world without masks and very soon we might have this,” said Dr Cheaib, with an optimistic twinkle in his eyes.