‘Be cautious, not scared of corona’

Transferred to Hoshiarpur within a few days of his recovery, outgoing SSP Jalandhar Navjot Singh Mahal (who has now joined as SSP Hoshiarpur) says motivation and positivity are among the key factors which help one in fighting Covid. Having tested positive for Corona on the morning of July 9, he recovered recently. One of the first things he did upon recovery was lead a staff of 33 police officials (him being the 34th) to donate their plasma to aide recovery of other serious Covid patients.

Gardening, yoga and inspiration from his own fellow officials kept him going during the 17-day isolation period. While two of his family members — wife and daughter — also tested positive for Covid, the trio stayed isolated from each other.

SSP Navjot Singh Mahal says: “The fever and chills had set in on the night on July 8. In the morning, I got tested and within a few hours, I came to know that I had tested positive. The first thing I did was to isolate myself from my family. I sent my wife and daughter to a separate room when I got fever at night. During the isolation period, I was at my official house, while my wife and daughter were at the private house. So, it was quite a strict isolation protocol and went off smoothly especially because my wife and daughter were totally asymptomatic. I also healed of the symptoms within a day. After two days, I was already doing office work."

While the SSP's attending a wedding a day before he tested positive created quite a buzz, he says he most likely got the infection from the office. "Thankfully I didn't stay long at the wedding. I'm almost certain I got Covid from the office because hundreds of people were visiting me daily. Even though sanitisation and distancing was religiously followed."

"Two days into getting Covid I was already working and coordinating on major developments at the office. Within a few days of recovering from the fever I began early and started jogging, exercising and yoga. I was also coordinating office work from home too and indulging in little pleasures like gardening," he adds.

He says motivation from the state DGP led him to go for plasma donation. "All through my isolation, fellow police personnel, who tested positive were a means of motivation. One of my female police persons always remained upbeat during group calls. They all welcomed the idea of plasma donation. 14 days into my recovery when I received a call from the DGP, it was then that Plasma donation came up. I was keen to donate it, but he asked me to get better first. But he in turn eventually motivated me to donate plasma."

“A total of 36 personnel tested positive for Covid, including me and 33 of us have decided to donate plasma. Two had co-morbidities, so they won't be donating. Now that we are healed, it will be wonderful to help others — especially high-risk cases,” he said. Speaking about keeping a positive attitude about Covid he says, "There is only one mantra for Covid - don't be scared, be cautious."

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