Testing positive for COVID-19 surprises some while triggers stress in others. (Representational)Getting tested positive for Covid-19 is stressful. It surprises some while triggers stress in others. People share their experience of getting infected and coping with the virus that locks them up in a room, brings bodily changes and affects relationships.
Gurjeet Singh Bawa is a 24 years old man at Patiala. He and his father were diagnosed positive for Covid-19. He said, “I got a call from one of my friends who suggested to me to get myself tested for Covid-19 because he came to my house before diagnosing positive for Covid-19.” He said he was both surprised and worried after he got tested for coronavirus. Bawa said, “I was asymptomatic. It was my second test and my first test was negative. I was confident that my test would come out to be negative (laughingly).” He said he felt social stigma indirectly because his parents cautioned him not to share his Covid report with anyone else.
“The first night was the worst night of the 17-day quarantine period because I was isolated with my father. It was a fear-filled day that I cannot express in words. I thought I was the culprit. Even my family blamed that my father got the virus from me because I used to go out and play basketball. I really felt guilty at that time because my father is a diabetic and asthmatic patient. It was a mental trauma,” said Bawa.
“The other problem is information overload because when I caught the virus, I searched the Internet to read experiences of people.”
Sukhmeet Singh Kohli, a 17-year-old boy from Patiala said he developed symptoms on September 13. He said, “I got fever in the afternoon on the first day. The pain in my body was unbearable. I could not get up from the bed because of the pain and fever. The next day, I got myself tested and the report came out positive. The fever was constant for the first four days.” On how the Covid-19 affects relationships, he said, “My mother caught the virus after me. I started to think it was my fault. After my mother was tested positive, our neighbours were very helpful. My mother used to cook food in our home but because of the virus now she could not. My father had also tested positive earlier.” Kohli said he took proper medicine and precautions.
“Although my life did not change drastically but my isolation period was difficult. I had never been locked up for so many days earlier at my home. I could not sleep at night for a prolonged period of time. My appetite was disturbed. Sometimes I used to watch Gurbani when I could not sleep at night and it helped me,” said Kohli.
Swati Dhawan, 34, works at Mata Kaushalya Hosptial at Patiala. She collects Covid-19 samples for testing. She said, “Being on the frontline, I had an inkling of getting infected with the virus because I have been collecting samples for the last seven-eight months. I got some issues because my daughter is five years old. However, my family members supported me a lot. I opted for home isolation. The first week was difficult because of fever and body pain, although I didn’t face breathlessness. The remaining 10 days were normal. I had explained my daughter to keep physical distancing by drawing a picture. I used to chat with my daughter through video calls. Gradually I could manage with the help of my family and friends.”
Ritu Kaura, 52, belongs to Jalandhar. She said, “I detected symptoms such as sour throat and loss of smell on August 15. I tested positive on August 18. I am a diabetic patient so I was apprehensive of situation getting worse. I was told to quarantine at home because I had a mild case. I had fever for approximately two days. My smell recovered after I tested positive but I completed the quarantine period. I felt weak during the initial phase of recovery. Moreover, social media tends to be a stress factor because of misinformation.”
As she completes two months, she says she feels healthy now. She suggests that people should isolate themselves from conspiracy theories and propaganda related to coronavirus infection on the social media.
“Thankfully, I was supported by my friends and family. It really helps during tough times. However, in the vicinity some people tend to behave oddly sometimes but others help you and show humanity. I faced no discrimination at my workplace,” said Kaura.
Vikramjeet Singh from Mansa said, “My mother is being treated from a private hospital but after Covid-19 started to wreak havoc, doctors in the hospital first tested people before treating or continuing the medicine. So, when they tested my mother for Covid-19, her report came positive. They suggested to get my mother admit in a Covid ward at Mansa Civil Hospital. After getting her admitted to the Covid ward, my family got our Covid-19 tests. I was diagnosed positive for coronavirus. I also admitted myself to the same ward with my mother. However, I was not critically ill but I felt weak for some days.”
Singh’s mother Beant Kaur is in her 60s. She said, “I got fever one day and developed body pain. A doctor vaccinated me for fever but it didn’t help. I had inserted a cardiac stent from a private hospital. I thought of going to the hospital for heart and fever checkup. They tested me positive for Covid-19 before prescribing medicine. Then I was admitted to Mansa Civil Hospital because of my grandson and other family members. My symptoms included fever and loss of taste. I was surprised. I felt weakness for one and a half month. Now I have started to feel better.”
She added that now she feels appetite. She has started recuperating with time.