CORONA & CARE

First Posted April 2021

Namaste all! This is an important message from me, a Covid Positive patient, to help not just Covid patients but also normal people to take care against it. As the new strain's effect is severe around, I want to share some key points from my experiences to keep you healthy enough. 

The rules of Covid have changed now. Positives & Negatives matter no more. It is the 'symptoms' that are key today. You may be negative, and still have symptoms. Then it means that you are a bigger patient than an asymptomatic positive. 

Delay in testing, neglecting symptoms increases the risk & spreads it.

First, our negligence has to be fixed. I was also one. When my boss asked me to take a test, I neglected it thinking that my sore throat was a normal one. Simultaneously my wife developed other (new CoVID) symptoms. When she was taken to a hospital, the doctor himself couldn't identify it as CoVID (as there were no respiration-related issues). Gave normal medicines. It is after 2 days she understood it as almost Covid when my RT-PCR report came positive. Then, my wife, along with many of my family members from my 6 months son to 60+ years father, gave tests, and most of them got positives. By then it spread to my cousins as we had gone on an outing in the meantime. Some of them attracted ample symptoms but got negative reports despite having a number of symptoms. So notice this. 

Neither the Doctors nor the reports were able to give accurate results in different cases about the new strain.  (In my case both happened. In my wife's and cousins' cases respectively.)

The symptoms have changed in the new strain, becoming somewhat severer compared to that of the initial Coronavirus Disease.

I have compiled the below information that guides you about the symptoms, precautions, and treatment of present Covid.  I have written these based on the experiences of my family members and me,  how we have taken measures to get rid of it at the earliest possible, with the help of our doctor. Many of the points were sourced from Doctors, Well-wishers, Health professionals, and last but not least, the experienced patients.  

I hope you would take the same self-care, in addition to your Doctor's consultation.

New symptoms:

- Low BP (check if you get doubt)

- Diarrhea / loose motions

- Sore throat

- Common cold 

- Body pains 

- Cough

- High fevers (My temperature went up to 103° on one day)

- Vomitings (Can be both symptom & reliever. Because it can be felt as a reliever when it sends your infection out, generally during your second week of CoVID, when you take medicines against the infection.)  

Actually, between Day 8 - Day 10 of mine, my lungs took a minor infection. Chest pain and heavy breathing issues started on April 9th. With my doctor's help, I went for the hospital admission.  

 Severity & care:

- In case of chest pain, breathing issues, nonstop cough, or other severe symptoms, try to get admitted to the hospital immediately, on Doctor's advice

- Do relevant additional tests like CT Scan, D Dimer, or other blood tests as required/prescribed

- If you experience a lack of smell, keep inhaling 2 drops of Zinda Thilismath strongly close into nostrils frequently, it would give a clear relief in your respiratory channel

Points to ponder:

- Don't fully rely on the Covid test reports, as the test results are never fully correct. You may also be a Covid positive even when your result is negative. Don't get panicked!

- The accuracy of the RAPID Covid test is said to be only 50%, whereas the accuracy of the RT-PCR test is known to be 80-90%. 

- No test shows 100% accurate results. So whatever be the result, treat yourselves as a positive patient and follow the instructions strictly.

Daily Routine: 

- Sleep as much as possible 

- Drink hot items as much as possible

- Bath as much as possible with 'steamy' water. Take a head bath. Maintain hygiene.

- Eat as much as possible (Less food will complicate your health condition)

- Dry fruits (Anjeer and badam are important)

- Fruits (Orange and pomegranate are important)

- Morning salted hot water gargling for 10 minutes

- Pulse-oxymeter check min. 4 times a day (if the value is less than 90, rush to hospital)

-Do Pranayama and breathing exercises 4 times/day 

- Steam min. 4 times a day. This is most important. 

- ORS packs multiple (for keeping yourselves hydrated)

- Maximum water consumption (Up to 5 liters a day)

- Drink Kashayam (aka Kadha or Kwath) (that includes ginger, pepper, honey & turmeric)

Precautions:

- Top 1 instruction - BE OPTIMISTIC AND MENTALLY POSITIVE (You strongly believe that will be out of all these very soon)

- Stay in a fully ventilated space. Isolated space need not mean it should be a closed space. Don't suffocate yourself. 

- Better turn off ACs. Air conditioners not just increase your troubles with their coolness but also circulate the infected air throughout.

- Keep distance from each other. (Even your fellow positive family members are in the same room, keep min. 6 feet away)

- Use surface disinfectant sprays on all items (including toilets - before and after use. Spray on the commode, taps, doorknobs, switches, etc.)

- Use gadget disinfectant sprays for all machines (phones, computers, thermometers, oxymeters). Gadget sprays have less water content.

- Use floor cleaners / Dettol for floors frequently

- Use hand sanitizers for hands every time after every act

- Try to manage with 2-3 sets of clothes. Recycle/wash with hot water. Don't let the virus spread onto your other clothes or things in the room. Though probability is less.  (& You should sanitize your living & toilet spaces thoroughly once you are back to negative life... I mean Covid-free life :)

- Put the mask(s) on as much as possible even you are in home isolation. (you should make yourselves be always comfortable with it)

- Don't put the mask ON while sleeping. It would affect your respiration.

- Take out the mucus as much as possible from inside. Either puke away or spit it off. (Ultimately ensure that you remove the mask while doing it :) 

FOLLOW ALL THE ABOVE, CHANCES ARE PLENTY FOR YOU TO BE SET IN JUST 4-5 DAYS TOO. 

ALL THE BEST.