88-yr-old from Una beats Covid

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 12

Octogenarian KS Jaswal was all smiles today as he walked out of a Covid hospital in Delhi after beating the virus.

“Fight, do not fear”, was the message from Jaswal, a retired Indian Air Force officer from Una, who returned home after the recovery from the disease.

A Health Ministry data shows that 52 per cent of the deaths in India are in the 60-plus age group, while comorbidities have been seen in 78 per cent of all fatalities.

Doctors from Delhi’s dedicated Covid hospital Kolmet, a unit of the Sir Ganga Ram chain, said the key to Jaswal’s recovery was early medical care, compliance with government guidelines on social distancing and a regimented life.

“I practise yoga twice a day ,” said Jaswal, who is among the oldest people to recover from Covid. The oldest survivor in the country is a 93-year-old from Kottayam in Kerala.

Jaswal, who fell ill while visiting his son in Delhi, added that the disease could be defeated with early healthcare seeking behaviour and religious adherence to the mandatory isolation.

An advantage for Jaswal was he did not have any pre-existing disease. Jaswal tested Covid positive on April 27.

Doctors said it was encouraging to see an octogenarian walked out safely home. “This disease is essentially severe in the elderly and people with comorbidities but Jaswal could make it because of the disciplined lifestyle, strong willpower, lack of major illnesses and good and early supportive care,” doctors said.

Chairman, Board of Management of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital DS Rana said his recovery evidenced the fact that anyone at any age could conquer it with the right kind of medical management and self-discipline.