"I Got Covidated" - Hearing From A Physician

Doctors and healthcare personnel have been at the frontline of the war on Coronavirus. Many have paid with their own lives but that did not deter them from doing their jobs. Following is an account of one of those healthcare professionals.

I got Covidated!

So I washed my hands, kept my physical distance, used my KN 95 masks diligently and moved into another part of my house a year ago! I took utmost care when seeing patients in clinics or covid ward or the ICU and Dialysis unit.

I advocated extensively for society taking utmost care in dealing with the spread of this virus locally. I asked my masjid leadership to exercise extreme caution during congregational prayers and gatherings.

I wrote and I wrote and I wrote. When the vaccination was offered, I promptly took the first 2 doses three weeks apart and kept exercising precautions in my daily routine.

Five days after the second vaccine, I started having flu like symptoms with fever, muscle pains, diarrhoea and chills. Initially, I attributed it to vaccine side effects. Later four days, my friend and colleague suggested that current symptoms were less dramatic and I should get tested for covid and I was Covid positive.

By the Grace of Almighty, I am coping well and will take whatever my physician says to overcome and get better. It is a duty to be healed as my mentor late Dean Amin used to say.

We Muslims consider any ailment as an atonement and should use this time for reflection.

If I am not there at work, life will continue to go on and more capable physicians will step in to take care of patients.

If I get well soon inshAllah, I will have an even greater respect for this virus and resume my advocacy. If I develop a prolonged illness, I will need to cope with the potential complications.

If I do not make it back to work, the organisation can replace me in less than 1 week. If I am destined for death, no one can delay or bring it forward a second.

My Covid 'Chronicles' over the last one year have all been published by Nayadaur Media and may help policy makers in learning from reflections of a health professional who has spent over four decades in the field in three different healthcare systems.

With the third wave upon us, it is imperative and even more necessary to abide by the safety precautions and regulations. Stay safe, wash hands, wear your masks, avoid physical distancing of less than 6 feet and get vaccinated!

In the end let's just say I also got 'covidated' and there is no shame in stating so, as I did my best!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prof. Mujtaba Quadri is Head of Nephrology at Maroof international Hospital, Islamabad.