A Guide for the Second Wave of Covid-19

During the initial months of the year, particularly January and February, it seemed like India had gotten Covid-19 under control, as the daily cases were falling from the peak of the first wave. But today, our country is experiencing the world’s worst outbreak with cases rising daily. The crisis isn’t over yet and we still have to fight a long battle with the deadly virus. 

The smart thing to do today is to stay home as much as possible and get vaccinated. Here is a little guide with information related to the second wave of Covid-19, things a fully vaccinated person should know, and much more. We hope this guide will help you and your loved ones during these unprecedented times. 

Things to remember if you tested positive

• Once you test positive, start isolating yourself and do not repeat the test to confirm it. Consult your physician and start the treatment. Avoid going for a test again to check if you have become negative unless required for official purposes.
• Do not get a Chest CT scan in the initial days of the symptoms, chances are it will come Normal. Do not repeat the CT scan until and unless advised by your doctor. The results might come worse even after the treatment. 
• All those who tested positive can stay together in isolation, even those who got cured and later tested negative. This second wave has been taking a toll on the mental health of the patient and they need someone by their side to get through this. Motivate each other while isolating together, fill your surrounding with positivity by playing music or motivational podcasts. 
• Lactating mothers with mild to moderate symptoms can continue breastfeeding with masks and hand hygiene. The benefit of breastfeeding outweighs the risk of Covid-19. Children mostly have mild symptoms which can be managed with simple medications for fever and cough, as prescribed by the doctor.
• There are no dietary restrictions as long as you are not feeling nauseated or gastritis. Do not skip meals, otherwise, weakness will persist. Eat whatever you like (avoid ice-creams and cold drinks though!).
• Be smart and wear masks properly (not below the nose). Keep checking your oxygen saturation level and temperature every two hours and log it into a diary. Hospital admission is required if high temperature persists and oxygen saturation level drops below 92%.

Things to do if you are living with a Covid-19 positive person

• Don’t go within 6 feet of the infected person, unless necessary. Wear a mask covering both the nose and mouth while attending to the infected person. 
• Make sure the sick person coughs into their mask, cloth, or tissue to keep virus particles out of the air. Throw the tissue after one use.
• The virus may persist on the surface of the clothes for a few hours or up to several days. Clean the infected person’s clothes with the warmest appropriate water setting. Make sure to dry out the clothes completely.
• Wash the patient’s clothes separately and clean your hand thoroughly after handling the dirty clothing. 
• If you are coming from outside, change into clean clothes to prevent outside germs from coming into the home.
• Disinfect surfaces with soap and sanitizer.
• Clean your hands often and thoroughly with soap or alcohol rub Don’t touch your face unless you have just cleaned your hands.

Things to do if you recovered from Covid-19

• Do not unnecessarily go to the hospital, chances of getting infected again are high.
• You still need to wear a mask while going outside. Stay home to keep yourself safe.
• Donate plasma. People are struggling outside and are in dire need of your help. Do your bit. Consult your physician about the whole process of plasma donation.
• Get vaccinated as soon as possible. Although you could still catch covid-19, the vaccine is highly effective against severe symptoms and death from Covid-19.
• Once vaccinated, you can visit friends and family, although travel is still discouraged by CDC. You can spend time inside with unvaccinated people from a single household without wearing masks or physical distancing if you choose.
• You might need a booster shot after testing negative and getting vaccinated. The two reasons behind this- your immunity wears off naturally or the virus changes so much that the immunity you have from the current vaccine proves inadequate. 

Before life can get totally back to normal, we need to first reach herd immunity, which can be achieved when most of us are vaccinated. For now, stay safe by isolating and staying inside as much as possible. If you are experiencing the symptoms, get yourself tested and follow a physician’s advice instead of relying on forwarded messages. Do not infuriate your healthcare friends by calling them continuously for small things, they are genuinely busy and drained right now.

Everyone is tired, stressed and mentally exhausted- let’s all be kind!