‘Voluntary testing will break the cycle of fear’

Working as a ward attendant at the Gynaecology Department of Guru Nanak Dev Hospital for the past 17 years, 46-year-old Varinder Kumar had seen some of the busiest days of his life while working through the Covid pandemic.

Varinder had never availed any medical leave or taken a long vacation all these years, but when he tested positive a month ago, he made sure he spent his time well in isolation.

“I had already told my family once the pandemic struck that as a frontline worker, I was the most vulnerable to infection. I had been preparing them and myself mentally to not get bogged down by it and so, when I tested positive, I asked my family not to visit the hospital to keep them safe from any kind of infection,” said Varinder.

Self-motivated all throughout his isolation and recovery period of 21 days, Varinder was hospitalised for five days, following which he was sent for home quarantine, as his symptoms were not critical.

“I shared the room with seven other patients, three of whom were my colleagues. We used to chat, play some games and just think about what we were going to do once we went home after recovery. We supported and motivated each other through that quarantine period and that’s how all of us were able to recover, more importantly not with fear, but with confidence in our healthcare team,” he said.

Varinder said his biggest feat was not letting Covid-19 break him and his family mentally. “It’s very important for people to provide support system to the families of Covid-19 patients. None of my family members tested positive and I had the support of my colleagues,” he said.

He emphasises on increased testing for Covid-19 to break the cycle of fear surrounding the pandemic. “The best preventive measure, apart from following mandatory safety guidelines, is to get yourself tested in case of any doubt. There is so much rumour-mongering regarding Covid-19 testing, which is adding to public fear and confusion,” he said.

He wants the government to provide more safety net to healthcare workers. “There are so many healthcare workers, who have either lost their lives while fighting Covid-19 on the frontline or been infected. The healthcare staff is working non-stop, exhaustively during the pandemic and we need to be better equipped while we perform our duties.”

(As told to Neha Saini)

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