In the midst of a pandemic

                                

                               Studied  endemic, epidemic and pandemic in Social and Preventive Medicine in final junior year in Medical College. Epidemic is an infectious disease, occuring in a community,at a particular time. Endemic is a disease, regularly found in an area. Pandemic is a disease epidemic that spreads worldwide! In the past, in Plague pandemic (bacterial)  about 12 million people lost their lives - from 1896 to 1939. In Influenza or Spanish flu pandemic (viral) about 17 million people lost their lives  in India (1918) . Now Coronavirus Disease, COVID-19 is challenging the world.

        When the corona epidemic started in Wuhan, China, it was not expected to become pandemic. But, now the world is panic stricken.

          When a patient was referred to me by another practitioner personally with ENT infection -I was a little alarmed. On examination, so much thick secretion was in the throat, and I was afraid a little, because he had not spit the phlegm prior to examination and he might spray if he did get a cough reflex while examining. I could not ask him to spit in my clinic wash basin also. But, I did not show my fear to him.
     
       If I show my fear, patient will be afraid more and that will increase my work. Here I want to share one incident happened in Saudi Arabia. During my early days, when I was not fluent with the language, I had a referral from Emergency Department of King Fahadh Hospital in Hofuf, and the ENT examination room was in fifth floor, if I am correct!  Usually the ER doctors would be Egyptians and since they also speak Arabic, patients will ask 1008 questions! Patients are same everywhere! Somehow they sent a patient for ENT opinion who was found out to have had only a common cold ,after examination. Since I was poor in conversing they were expecting me to say something. After finishing my examining ,I said 'khallas', meaning that the examination was over. But, since the meaning of that word is finished or over or that is all or so so ,and since without talking much to the attendars when I said 'khallas' ( நான் என்னைச் சொன்னேன்!  ) ,they got panicked.  Soon I realised that and re-assured them! This I shared with Dr Samir (Kolapur),and he informed other doctors, and the phrase was formed by Dr Sumanth Kumar (Andhra), so whenever somebody said 'khallas', it is asked , "Is it normal khallas or Sirajunnisa's  khallas?"
               
      Now, coming to this patient, I did not show my thought. And ethically I must not alarm him unnecessarily and I wanted  him to go. So, I gave prescription for drugs and asked him to come for review. At next visit he was better and on the third visit, cured! Usually patients never report once they are cured, but I insisted him to report.

          22-ம் தேதி முதல் no shopping, no purchase. தேவையான அளவு groceries ,snacks, eggs ,chicken, vegetables -ம் இருந்தன.  Even a milk powder pack! ஒன்றுமே வாங்காமல் நன்றாக சாப்பிட்டுக் கொன்டுதான் இருக்கிறோம். சொல்லப் போனால் எவ்வளவு consume ஆகிறது, எவ்வளவு சேகரித்து வைக்கிறோம் என்று யோசிக்கும்போது கொஞ்சம் அதிகம்தான் என்று தோன்றுகிறது. மனிதனை யோசிக்க வைக்க ஒரு வைரஸ்! பால்காரர் மட்டும் தினம் பால் கொண்டு வந்து தருகிறார். Newspaper வருவதில்லை.

         By evening around 5 pm, when I watched the surrounding from my sit-out, it looked like as though it rained previously. But, it never rained. Suddenly I realised, because there are no vehicles and no human movement to make dust fly and pollute the air, the air looked clear, as after rains the dust in air settles down by the raindrops!  இது போல் வியக்க வைத்த மற்றொன்று, மதிய நேரம் வீட்டின் கதவுக்கு வெளியே ஏகப்பட்ட குருவிகள், முன்னால் இருந்த மரத்தில் விளையாடிக் கொண்டு, பறந்து கொண்டு.  இதுவரை இதுபோல் பார்த்ததில்லை. அதன் சின்ன காணொளி இணைத்துள்ளேன்.

                     Yesterday when  going  for urban  primary health centre ,  N 95 mask, spectacles  and gloves alongwith coat. வீட்டிலிருந்து கிளம்பும்போதே அணிந்தபடியால் ,கொஞ்சம் வித்தியாசமாகத்தான் இருந்தது. வீட்டில் உள்ளவர்கள் ஒன்றும் சொல்லவில்லை. எல்லோருக்கும் corona பயம். ஆனால் இந்தப் பெயர் நன்றாகத்தான் இருக்கிறது.அது செய்யும் செயல்தான் நன்றாக இல்லை.

          So, living in the midst of a pandemic is a real experience. ஆனால், இந்த pandemic எங்கு போய் முடியும் என்று தெரியவில்லையே!