Thread by @OmTheReality

The question is not :

WHO will get affected with covid?

The right question is WHEN?

As a person just discharged from hospital n in home quarantine, here are a few things I learnt along the way.

(Thread) # chennai #lockdown

1. The situation in Chennai is very bad to put it mildly.

Reason: asymptomatic people are carriers. Hence transmission is very fast and we r taken unawares...

2. No beds in govt. or Pvt hospitals.

I went persnly to hospitals, then my students who are wrkng in covid wards, doctor friends tried whole day,got a bed for me.

Need inside person if u want a bed quickly.

You cannot afford to get sick ( but happ from asymptomatic ppl)

3. So what do u need to do?

Please stay home.

Don't go to grocery or vegetable shops. Order them online.

Please leave them out and wash them , door knobs,wearing a mask and gloves bfre storing them.

Only 1 person be in contact with outside must take all precautions.

4. Please buy some N95 masks. It's tedious n many prefer cloth, me included. But it was wrong in hind sight.

So, Use n95 with perfect fit over the noses, if you have to go out.

Don't hide ur symptoms from anyone. Inform at home, call ur doc immediately. Take quick action.

5. Take sanitiser with you.
Coming back have a bath and wash your vehicle. The doorknobs, seats etc. Use soap or shampoo or 1% bleech.

Clean your house doorknobs, doors, stairs, etc with surf or 1% hypo if you can get it.

6. Buy and keep some paracetamol, ORS sachets, Always keep stock of lemon, ginger and fresh fruits for juices.

Very important: Gargle with warm water when you come from outside. If possible take lukewarm water always.

7.*Practise sleeping on your stomach*. It opens ur air ways which are actually at the back region not in chest.

Do some deep breathing exercises daily..I would say every two hours except an hr bfre n aftr meal.

8. Please take Vitamin C 1gm per day, in addition to lemon, gooseberry, guava etc.

Vitamin D 2000 IU per day and zincovit.

Eat healthy. Avoid spicy. Add pepper, ginger, cloves, garlic n turmeric . Hv rasam daily.

Meal I got at hosp. Idli, idiappam, pongal, khichdi etc.

9.Anyone having elders, invest in a pulse oximeter now.
Learn to use it.

Keep a spare thermometer.

If more than one person is sick, then you cannot use one interchangeably.

10. Pulse oximeter gives u the oxygen saturation level so that u don't hv to panic n go to hospital unless the value goes below 90.

So keep doing deep breathing exercises. It increases ur oxygen lvl.

U can say omkaram, blow balloons, blow air thry straw into water etc

11. If u run temperature, chk three to four times daily.

If it's less than 100 it's mild.
Whatever be the reading, drink water, ORS, hydrate with hot water.

Gargle with salt water, steam inhalation n use nasal saline if req. Do this even when u think ur too tired with fever.

12. The usual meds are paracetamol when u hv fever,
Pan ( antacid), Azithromycin for throat infection, may be some expectorant, vits C, D3, Zinc.

Apart from ginger( fresh or dry) water, turmeric, gargle, steaming, hydration.

13. Every second house has a covid positive person or someone with fever n cough etc.. we cannot test whole population and asymptomatic ppl too.

I kept getting calls n msgs abt mny friends who r affected each day n those who hv not stepped out of home.

14. Most hospitals hv no beds.. they r trying to add wards now. They hv diff charges which must be normalised.
Some charge 3L per person fr 7days. Some charge 25k per day, some 12k per day. Insurance for covid covere basic room charges n non consumables. May vary acc to ur plan

15. You should home quarantine for 14 days strictly n people in ur house too.

When u test positive, govt authorities, PHC, police will call u n get details. Co operate.

But if too mny people r calling direct them to the PHC n say u ve givn thm n police details.

16. This can relapse so, shld be cautious and take precautions always even if u hv got it bfre.
I m being v.cautious, foll doc advice to the T.

Asymptomatic ppl r known to get it again later.

Wen u review results, ask fr antibody titre. helps u understand ur immunity level

17. People who hv co morbid conditions nd older patients must really adhere to all these do's and don'ts mentioned.

Prepare mentally n physically!!

No use asking: "how u got? Or u won't get! U ll be negative."

listen to devotional music.

Let's be practical n stay calm. 💗

18. I m more than indebted to thank my friends from school days, my colleagues, my past n present students, their parents, twitter friends, even hosp dropped me home in staff car as it's lockdown...I think I m lucky to get such good friends who r always there for me .

@AK_Ayyangar @BhataktaTweet @IndiaArtHistory @Go_Movie_Mango @urmithakkarrgm1 ..

oh God long list so..apologies fr nt tagging more .. love to all who enquired n who gained from my experience.

Love u all n stay safe.

#chennai is peaking this month.. 😔