Chinese woman travels to work wearing IV drip, internet reacts to viral video

The woman carrying the IV drip holding fluid bottle was caught on camera by a man when she was on an elevator in a subway station at around 10pm in the night. (Representational Photo).

A woman in Shanghai was seen walking down the subway with a intravenous (IV) drip inserted in her hand and a bottle of fluid over her head. The woman's behaviour was caught on camera by a man when she was on an elevator in a subway station at around 10pm in the night, as per a report published in The Paper. 

After the video went viral on the internet, the woman, who went by the nickname of Dongdong, said that she had a running fever for many days and had received a IV infusion at a hospital overnight, one day earlier.

"At first, I thought she was holding a drink bottle. When I realised it was an IV fluid bottle and she was having an IV inserted, I thought she was strong and life was not easy for her. My heart ached a bit for her," the man who took the video posted on Douyin.

The woman has a dance studio in Shanghai, which is 20km away from her house. She revealed she was not getting sufficient rest after finishing her work and go to the hospital and being a qualified nurse herself, decided to ask the doctors if she could take the fluid.

"I am at the initial stage of my business. I don’t want to waste money. If I went to receive the IV at the hospital after 10pm every day and finished the drip at 2am, I wouldn’t have enough rest because I need to open my studio early," Dondong told South China Morning Post.

"So I asked doctors if I could take the IV fluids away. I told them I had studied medicine before and I could insert it myself. The doctors agreed," she added.

Despite her behaviour on the subway, she advised others against behaving in this manner in public.

"Please be aware that there are too many uncontrollable factors in the infusion process, like acute allergy and the tubes falling apart. The latter could cause infection. There also might be adverse reactions, which could put your life at risk," she said.

"It’s dangerous to receive an IV infusion outside the hospital. I am sorry that my behaviour has negatively affected the public," she added.

The video generated several responses about work pressure in China and many sympthaised with the woman.

"Life is not easy. I understand this girl’s frugality. Hiring a taxi for a journey of 20km is expensive," one person commented.

"I cannot control my tears. It’s like seeing the old me," another user wrote.