Easing the lockdown, rumours about how the coronavirus is just a conspiracy and doesnt quiet exist in actuality, here are a few frontline workers, who took the time out to speak to us and explain to us the intensity of this monster that some of us are taking so lightly.
Dr Madiha Haroon
Karachi
None of us were ever trained to work the way we are currently. It is so unprecedented,nothing like this was ever taught. Responding in emergency is entirely different but preparing for a pandemic such as coronavirus is horror. We always brought gruesome work stories home, and had to filter the way we will vent to our families, but today it is an extremely different scenario where most of us, healthcare workers, avoid being in the same room as our parents and grandparents. We have colleagues not going home some days when they think the exposure has been too much. No amount of protection can bee a 100% foolproof – sometimes COVID-19 creeps its way in.
On the other hand we see people risking their lives just to wear a new jora on Eid or go shop or even go meet their friends because they miss socialising too much. These people don’t understand the intensity of this pandemic. We all need to just survive this and hopefully when we make it to the other side, celebrate life as we want to, but that celerbrator time is not now. Many like me,who have an ailing grandmother and a very worried mother at home, wonder if our lives are as cheap as those goods this awam is yearning to buy and risking their lives as well as lives of those around them.
Easing the lockdown, in my eyes, is a mistake. Also I thought it will be the uneducated masses who will be difficult to control but I get so appalled seeing educated people arguing about masks and the entire existence of this virus.
This time has amazed me to no bounds. We are a sad society. Our society will only raise white flags from afar in order to show their support for the healthcare workers but in reality nothing is done.
Rida Tafveez
from Karachi
Student at Ziauddin University, Karachi (volunteer at Expo isolation centre)
At Expo we had around 400 patients at the time I was volunteering. All of them were asymptomatic. Right now we have around 130 since a lot of them got discharged. In my observation, Pakistan has a less severe strain of the coronavirus. However, it’s almost taking one month for the patients to test negative for it. The recovery seems to be taking a lot of time.
About the lockdown, Pakistan is already under an economic crises. We can’t afford to continue the lockdown, and this is one of the reasons it has been eased. We are basically on survival mode. That being said, Pakistan’s general population isn’t aware or doesn’t want to be. While I was volunteering at the Expo Isolation Centre I personally got so many messages from random people asking whether COVID-19 is a real thing or not? There is a lack of trust between the population and respective government.
I feel our biggest fight is against the mindset of our population. A lot of other countries have eased down their lockdowns, and people have adapted themselves to the new social etiquettes. However, it’s completely opposite in Pakistan. This behaviour will just increase the number of cases, like it already has.
Syed Saud Ashraf, MD FHM, Managing Physician Partner, Carelife Medical, Fairfax, Virginia and Fatima Z. Aziz, MD, Senior Medical Director, Carelife Medical, Fairfax, Virginia
We’ve been working with COVID-19 clinical screening and surveying as it hit our area.
The difficulty that a lot of people have in relating to and understanding this virus stems from its high asymptomatic state but yet still highly contagious nature for significant potential to do harm to vulnerable who are at highest risk. Healthcare workers and frontline health services providers are among this subset.
The fundamental aspect of managing a viral disease such as this is testing and tracing coupled with preventive measures. Without data (testing) it is really difficult to confirm prevalence or incidence.
We are seeing multiple variations in COVID-19’s presentation and disease course. We’ve also seen different age brackets affected and not only the elderly or low immuned state individuals. We are also seeing, from our own screening clinic data, clustering of positive results in close knit communities and families who are not maintaining appropriate physical distancing or taking the contagion seriously.
We have noted that when proper mask/PPE is worn by everyone, than the likelihood of transmission is remarkably lower and can be quite manageable. But left on its own, the virus will spread pretty rapidly.
The issue may not be overall infection fatality rate for general population (although it is 20-60% depending upon how severe and critical). The real issue is the concentrated high volume of patients falling ill within a short period of time which will overwhelm the best of systems.
Aside from our clinic, we also work in the hospital. I have been providing remote night tele-call coverage at a hospital with significant numbers of COVID-19 patients. I also oversee several inpatient physician programs at different hospitals and am familiar with our region and involved with crisis management from the perspective of staffing and redundancy planning.
At least, based on the nature of COVID-19’s pattern in our area and globally, this virus should not be trivialized. It needs to be taken seriously and constant public education needs to be conducted. Physical distancing with masks and hand washing needs to be maintained. We do not know as of yet the trajectory of this disease.
Dr Rashid A Chottani
Washington DC
The issue that Pakistan currenlty is facing is the lack of data in regards to coronavirus as well as the surveillance methodology not being prevalent. Due to the poverty, the poor die in their homes before they make it to the hospital. Thats why the numbers that are being shown in regards to Pakistan are not correct, they are highly underrated. The one character of this virus is that about 80 percent of the people infected are asymtomatic so a lot of people who have the virus don’t know they are infected. Thats why i emphasise on the importance of testing.
There is also one scientific reason for the low numbers of coronavirus cases in Pakistan. It has been suspected that the PCG vaccine which is usually given in the country for TB, has created antibodies in the population which help fight the virus. It has been noted that those countries who emphasise on this vaccine have relatively lesser coronavirus cases and Pakistan is one of those countries.
People seemed to have had cabin fever during the lockdown as everyone has been socially isolated. Now that the lockdown has been eased it is important for everyone to take precautions and follow the basic SOPs highlighted. Wearing a mask, for instance, is a form of showing respect to others. You wear a mask to protect others around you and those who are not wearing it show lack of respect for others. Its a simple solution. Social distancing for instace – standing 6 feet away – will help everyone. No one will be able to infect each other when there is so much distance between one another. We need to be socially responsible and follow the basic steps.
Dr Kumail Abbas Shah
Department head
Red Zone Administrations
Field Isolation Center Karachi
I feel really bad about the easing of lockdown in Pakistan. I think that was not a good decision. Since the lockdown has been eased, the numbers at our isolation centre have exponentially risen. Our masses are not exactly literate and we can’t expect them to understand and follow the SOPs rigourously. They dont understand how the transmission of the infection takes place let alone understand what the infection does to the individuals. There need to be constant awareness campaigns aiming at our masses. We, as a government, should ensure that people are complying to the SOPs, that they understand the urgency of all of this.
It is about time that we take this pandemic and its repurccussions seriously and not give into the conspiracy theories. Coronavirus exists, and it is serious. People are dying, a lot of people I know are suffering. We all know someone who has tested positive. We are expecting things to get worse in the future. So I humbly request that our people listen to us and take this matter seriously and take all the precautions possible. We, the frontline workers, want just the basics out of you all. Please strictly follow the rule of social distancing, wear a mask and use handsanitser or wash your hands thoroughly. These basic steps can really make your lives, our lives, safe and better. Kindly avoid standing in crowded lines at stores, do not stand super close to one another at the banks and don’t crowd around one spot – these are just basic things that you can do and keep everyone safe. Coronavirus is not a joke. It is serious and it will all get bad if we dont look after one another.
