Outreach in the time of COVID -19

The COVID-19 is impacting humanity, economy, life and livelihood like we've nothing seen before. It has spared no countries and comes in multiple waves leaving millions scarred and scared. 

We all know of a friend, a colleague, a family member or a family who has been impacted by this lethal virus. Many of us freeze when we receive that call from a dear/near to informing us they tested positive and every minute following that turns anxious and nights become sleepless until the person recovers. 

I put together some notes based on my personal experience from when a family member and a few friends  tested positive. Here are some outreach tips.

Ensure you have the following supplies at home during this time. Please don’t hoard!

1. Pulse oximeter
2. Thermometer
3. Paracetamol tablets 1 strip
4. Cough syrup 1 bottle
5. Vitamins and Zincovit tablets
6. Steam inhaler and Karvol Plus capsules
7. N95 Masks and gloves
8. Hand sanitizer
9. Spirometer for breathing exercise
10. Face shield 
11. Mask for nebulizer
12. Dettol
13. Domex

Check if someone in your close circle has a nebuliser that you can borrow incase of emergency. Rest of the medicines will have to be prescribed by a registered medical professional.

Notes for those of you who wanna help your family member/friends who test positive.

1. Don’t out them on social media or to your friends unless it is absolutely needed.
2. Keep track of their treatment, consultation and medicines.
3. Check on them once or twice a day for any help.
4. You can order grocery, medicines, Dunzo home cooked meals (ask them what they would like to eat), schedule test and doctors appointments.
5. Don’t give advice or overload them with links and videos on what do to - they are best left to doctors.
6. Keep track of critical medicines, beds, oxygen, etc. in your city and how you can get hold in case there are in need.
7. Be patient and think calmly.

Some of my friends have tested positive, so some wisdom for you all.

1. Take a RT-PCR test if you have any COVID19 symptoms - fever, sore throat, conjunctivitis, headache, stomach issues, etc.
2. Check your SP02 (blood oxygen saturation) every two hours and write it down.
3. Consult a Covid doctor (Apollo, Narayana, Fortis, etc. have virtual consultations) when your RT-PCR turns positive. - You are not a super person to fight it without medical help.
4. Be responsible and inform people who’ve come in contact with and ask them to isolate and test.
5. Create a small network of friends who can keep tabs on you - order medicines, grocery, arrange home cooked meals and schedule your tests/doctor appointments.
6. Some workplaces have setup up Covid help desk- keep those numbers handy.
7. Inform your society and stay within the 4 walls unless you need to go out for CT Scan.

With media and social media highlighting suffering due to lack of beds, oxygen, etc. everyone is petrified of this virus and often end up panicking when they get it. Watch this video from a Doctor to Covid patients:

“One day you will tell your story of how you overcame what you’re going through now and it will become part of someone’s survival guide”.