As we sit in the safe confines of our homes during the crisis, it is the frontline workers who are facing the brunt of the novel coronavirus for us all. The situation is rather alarming for healthcare professionals as so many of them go unchecked and undiagnosed, especially for those who might have contracted the virus but most remain asymptomatic. The very same happened to Dr Arun Kohli from Delhi-NCR, who wasn’t expecting to test positive for COVID-19. Dr Kohli went for the test only upon his doctor wife insisted.
“It is likely that I acquired the infection while on duty. I have already given all the possible contacts of patients I had been treating to the nodal officer-in-charge in the area,” he shared in a recent interaction with The Indian Express.
Dr Kohli further added, “On March 25, I got myself tested for coronavirus at a diagnostic laboratory, which came positive. It was quite unexpected because I was asymptomatic, except now experts are saying that it is something that is being noticed in many infected people. That said, I did have cough and cold for two days–on the day of the Janata Curfew (March 22) and the next–for which I took normal viral treatment and was absolutely fine. But my wife, who is also a doctor, suggested I go for the RT-PCR test.”
The doctor’s reports came out on March 27. Post that, he was admitted to the hospital and things went pretty smooth for him even after he was admitted to the hospital. The regular COVID-19 treatment comprising azithromycin, vitamin C supplements were administered to him at the hospital. The doctor was also given a protein-rich diet for fast recovery.
He shared, “I was there for about a week after which two more tests were performed on the 15th and 16th day, both of which were negative so I was discharged, with the advice that I needed to be in self-quarantine for 14 more days. The nodal officer, however, advised I should stay in the house till the lockdown ends on May 3.”
As per his latest medical reports, Dr. Kohli has successfully recovered from the infection but continues to remain in self-quarantine. “I am strictly following the quarantine protocol. I am maintaining distance from my family; we are in the same house but in different rooms. In the meantime, I got my wife, son, and the household tested as well but the results were negative. They have been in quarantine since the day I went for the test.”
Furthermore, the doctor has been confining himself to a separate room in his home and always uses a mask while interacting with his family members. He has been prescribed antiallergics and vitamin C for two weeks to follow but otherwise feels completely fine. “I am happy to be back home,” he says.
The doctor also spoke about the frontline workers, all the COVID-19 survivors and advised them to take all the necessary precautions to protect themselves. “I would also request everybody out there to not discriminate against those who have tested positive. Show their families some care. It is not a very pleasant feeling for any COVID patient to come back home and find out his or her family has not been treated well,” he urged.
Dr Kohli’s story is important to share for it throws light on the importance of social distancing that can literally save lives when it comes to asymptomatic cases of the infection. Needless to say, a little caution and care can take us a long way and has to be our way of life till we find a vaccine to ward off the virus. Till then stay home, stay safe, and respect those who are fighting the good fight for us all.
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