It was not fear of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) but life in isolation that worried Pradeep (name changed). But as days passed, the stress soon faded, thanks to hospital staff and before he realised it, he was back home after treatment.
“I was not afraid of COVID-19. But I kept thinking about staying in isolation. The hospital staff made the isolation period easy for me. They checked me regularly and ensured that I felt allright. They ensured that I got proper food and water on time, not to forget my cup of tea,” he said.
A resident of a northern State, Pradeep was working in Chennai. On testing positive for COVID-19, he underwent treatment at the Government Kilpauk Medical College (KMC) Hospital. “There is no need for anyone to be scared of COVID-19. Seek medical help and get yourself treated on time. I started to feel better five days after treatment,” he added.
“Of course, my mobile phone helped a lot too,” he said in a lighter vein. “I watched videos and movies to escape from boredom.”
He was discharged from the hospital on April 10, and continues to be in isolation at home. “I am feeling good now. Doctors have advised me to stay in isolation at home for 14 days, and follow physical distancing,” he said.
Like him, Surendran (name changed), who tested positive for COVID-19 last month, has been discharged after treatment. “It started with throat pain. I experienced indigestion and had mild fever for three days. I grew doubtful of the symptoms and decided to seek medical help. Doctors lifted nasal and throat swabs and the samples returned positive for COVID-19, and I was immediately admitted to the isolation ward of KMC,” he recalled.
Testing positive for COVID-19 was stressful, he said. “But I took to yoga and meditation to overcome that stress. The hospital provided me with hot water for drinking. The daily diet included fruit juices,” he said.
A naturopathy practitioner, he appreciated the hospital staff for their care. “COVID-19 is like any other infectious disease. We need to maintain personal hygiene to break the chain of transmission. Not just personal hygiene measures but we also need to promote our immune system through a healthy diet and lifestyle modifications,” he said.
