Corona virus,a global pandemic has left us devastated. Our lifestyle has completely changed.The virus aims at damaging the person both physically and psychologically.The world is hoping to see the good old days. Amidst this let us be grateful to all the doctors who are our real heroes,the pride of the nation and our life saviours.

Dr. Shilpa Hegde,a renowned pediatrician from Mangalore has been kind enough to share her experience with covid. The do's and don'ts and the truth about the virus.

Dr. Shilpa, came in contact with the virus a month ago when she was working at a hospital in Mangalore. She absolutely had no symptoms. But some where her instincts kept nagging at her to get a throat swab test done. She isolated herself in a separate room where she stayed with her family. She was confident that she will be tested negative.The very next day she got a call, and she was tested positive. For a moment she was taken aback not because she was tested positive,but she did not have any symptoms.

So being a doctor,she did not panic. She got admitted in the hospital. She stayed there for 5 days and underwent baseline investigations. She was served with nutritious food. Supportive medications were given as there is no specific medicines to treat the virus. After five days she went home and was in isolation for 20 days.

She stays with her husband and parents. She has a one year old son. She was isolated in her room. She did not come in contact with her family for a month though she did not have any symptoms during isolation. She had regular food during isolation. So her journey with the virus lasted for a month.Hopefully all her family members are safe.

Now after a month,she is back to her normal life. She has started working. She has come up with some valuable suggestions which might help everyone.

STOP PANICKING : She says, no doubt this is a very bad virus and many have lost their lives. Most of the doctors have lost their lives while treating the covid patients. The nature of the body differs from person to person. Some have the will power coupled with immunity to fight the disease and some don't. But the first thing you have to do when you are tested positive is not to panic. Get yourself isolated in a separate room at your home or in the hospital. Unless there is a medical emergency there is nothing to worry. The supportive medications and good food will help you overcome the disease. If you are suspicious of having any symptoms do not neglect. Monitoring of temperature and oxygen saturation is very important.

RESTRAIN GOOGLE AND WATCHING NEWS CHANNELS: Google will not treat your disease. Trust the doctor and the nurse.The news channels are no longer trustworthy. 80%of the news regarding covid and related deaths are false.Please don't believe the forwarded messages regarding the hospitals or doctors on not treating the patients properly. All of us are in the urge of giving our best to the society. We too have families. But still we are working hard to protect everyone from the virus. We know how precious the life is. More over the news channels are creating panic among the people. People have become judgemental. It would be good if the news channels gave suggestions and hope, rather than creating fear.

STOP TREATING COVID PATIENTS LIKE UNTOUCHABLES : In a era where we speak about equality, people have failed to understand the proper meaning of it. When the celebrities are suffering from covid, people wish for their speedy recovery. There are instances of conducting prayers for the same. And if the layman is suffering he is being treated as an untouchable.This is the reason many people who are suffering from the virus hesitate to go the hospital or share their experience with the covid. Let us be humans. Or else humanity will lose its meaning.

The isolation makes the person mentally weak for few days. All he needs is love and care from his family and society to come back to a normal state. So let us be generous to give the person moral support.

A HEALTHY  LIFESTYLE: Regular exercise at home and proper food at proper time will help you stay fit. A healthy immune system can keep you away from such diseases.

She further says, people who are weak and are suffering from some disease, people who are aged above 60 and children below 5 years should be careful.

Most of them are asymptomatic. They may be unaware of the fact that they have the virus in their body. A strong body has natural tendency to fight the disease. This should not be a matter of concern.

She feels lucky to be fine and back to her normal life. She is very grateful to her family and the society members who gave her moral support to combat the virus. She wholeheartedly thanks all the doctors and the nursing staff who helped her during this period.

According to the latest official report from the government of India, India has 1.91M confirmed cases. 1.28M recovered cases. The mortality rate is comparatively less.This is a good news for all the Indians.

We have not seen God. But we believe in his existence. A doctor is believed to be a representative of God .Let us trust them whole heartedly. Every problem has a solution. All of us are waiting for the solution, so let us hope for the best. Until then let us have patience. Let us lend our helping hand towards the needy.

Let us stay at home. Masks and social distancing are the new way of life. Let us adopt it happily. A positive mindset and a healthy body can do wonders. Let us aim at it.

We know time heals.Time heals almost everything. Let us give time some Time!


-By Manasa G.Hegde 

  Advocate,Mangalore.