‘Positivity greatest asset in fight against Covid’

Mona Rani, an economics lecturer at Government Senior Secondary School, Lambra, who tested positive for Covid-19 in December 2020, resumed her duty around 15 days ago. Having battled the Covid amidst very trying times, Mona says positivity is the greatest asset in the fight against the Covid.

She contracted the virus days after another teacher at the school died of Covid-19. She was among five teachers who got infected from the virus.

Unlike many others who have a mild fever and largely stay asymptomatic or at the most have a mild fever – her fight with the Covid wasn’t that easy. The sudden rise in sugar levels of the colleague who succumbed served as a grim reminder to her. But it helped her in being extra careful.

Mona says, “At school, I was the last one to get infected, but at home both my husband and son got Covid-19 after me. Those were very trying times. I had 103° Fahrenheit fever for four to five days, after which remained at 99° Fahrenheit. I also had cold and doctors told me that my chest had been affected up to 36 to 38 per cent due to the virus. After 15 days of staying in quarantine, I tested positive again. So, it was a long process to recovery. For months, I sat in the sun and consumed warm water. These periods were marked with relentless checking of oxygen levels.”

She says eventually healing came from the mind. “Covid impacts you most if you take it to heart. Being positive addresses half the problem. I have personally experienced a rise in oxygen levels on times when I was stress-free compared to when I was fretting it out.”

While Mona started going back to school around 15 to 20 days ago, she says she is doing it amid great precautions.

“I still have fatigue and immense pain in legs. Covid has impacted my eyesight to some extent. It’s a slow and gradual progress to good health. Slowly, I will regain confidence. Going to school also serves as a distraction. I wear mask and use sanitiser regularly. While some students do not practise social distancing, I regularly explain them about the adverse effects of the virus.”

Her daughter, an MBBS student, who got vaccinated a couple of days ago, has fever ever since she got the dose.

Mona says, “I am inching towards good health. I told my daughter that things will get better and she needs to stay positive. Everyone fighting Covid has to look at the brighter side, stay alert, consume hot water and keep an eye on oxygen levels.”

(As told to Aparna Banerji)