An attempt to reduce the mental impacts of current COVID-19 pandemic across the globe

INTRODUCTION

Since this disease is caused by new strain of corona virus and it is discovered in 2019, it is called COVID-19 or as per the foremost symptom, it is also referred as SARS-CoV-2 (Severe acute respiratory syndrome COVID-2).^1,2 In March 2020, it is declared as a pandemic by WHO.³ Though corona viruses are not new to the twenty first century, we first need to understand the biology, mechanism of action and post-infection effects of this COVID-19.⁴

This article reviews the recent studies about SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 pandemic. The personal views and comments are discussed on ongoing COVID-19 pandemic which has threatened the whole world since from nearly two years. An attempt is made to reduce the mental impact which has been created in the minds of the folks due this pandemic, enormously long lockdowns and politics played under the banner of COVID-19.

The mental impacts of the current COVID-19 pandemic were also reported by the other authors.⁵

DISCUSSION

At very beginning of this COVID-19 pandemic, a symptomatic person (having cold, cough and temperature or sometime difficulty in breathing) who was still not proved to be a COVID-19 positive patient, was treated like a COVID-19 transmitter and was humiliated by the family members, society, doctors and government regimes. After receiving a positive report about somebody, the patient was sent into an isolated ward. The family members of the patient and the people to whom he has contacted were also kept in quarantine for at least fourteen days. Also if somebody is coming from abroad or even sometimes from orange or red zone (the green, orange and red zones were declared by the Government bodies in India according to the spread of COVID-19) was also forced to quarantine his/her self. All these processes were very embarrassing to all. Hence, the name COVID-19 was become very threatening in the minds of the folks. Factually, this virus is not lethal but could able to harm an already ill-person (weakened immune system).

Yes, it is reported that the SARS CoV-2 is highly transmissible so care must be taken that we shouldn’t come in close contact with any such positive patient.⁶ But in fact, everyone will get infected with this virus; person with weakened immune system will succumb to severe effects while the antibodies will be produced in the body of a fit person to fight against it. Just eat a healthy food, what I think is, it is a ‘survival of the fittest’ or you can say, ‘corona virus is a health test for everyone’. Those who are fit have already fought against this virus and are now safe.

You can think why there were no prolonged lockdowns in many countries? Also, why there are no more positive cases or casualties in Italy or other countries with high COVID positive rates few months ago?, because their immune system is prepared against this virus. As already been reported, individuals have very less risk of re-infection with SARS-CoV-2.⁷ Many of us might have already been infected with that virus and have antibodies prepared, so it doesn’t need to be panic. So it is your choice whether you go for vaccination or not.

Lockdown was never a solution to stop this pandemic, it only extended the time of reaching that virus to us. There was nothing like money, population, medical facilities or our country’s politics, responsible for the spread of this virus, otherwise countries like America, Brazil, Canada, Italy or China would have been saved. The virus has spread in all the above countries irrespective of all the above factors.

After studying this pandemic, what I feel is, this virus is going to remain with us for a long period of time or may be forever and the people would survive with this. Once in every city, the number of positive cases will reach to its maximum and then the peak will fall forever like we have seen in very first city Wuhan (China). Same is the case of our Malegaon city (a city located in the Nashik district of Maharashtra, India), in the months of April 2020 and May 2020, the cases were at its peak and abruptly fell. All the low numbers of casualties and good recovery rates are attributed to the hard work of many BUMS and other locally available doctors. Since then, doctors in Malegaon have treated and are treating so many positive or sometimes only symptomatic patients with known antibiotics without waiting for remdesivir or any other media promoted drug. From the study of Malegaon city from April 2020 till now, it can be concluded that, ‘If you don’t have a proved medicine for any virus then why to go for diagnosis and wait for unproved drug (many patients have reportedly lost their lives due to unavailability of such media promoted drug), just get a treatment for the visible symptoms and go ahead’.

Politically, the Indian constitution (this may be true in many countries, I took India as an example) gives rights to its citizens about their faith and beliefs, and asking people of India to shed this liberty is unlawful.⁸ This particular thing produces conflicts in applying equal rules for all the citizens in the same country. And these constitutional rights allow a citizen to live a superstitious life (which is against scientific guidelines).

A number of scientists have been speaking against superstitious acts in this world, yet are in the minority.⁹ A number of research papers have also been published against politicizing the current COVID-19 pandemic.¹⁰

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, I would say that, just believe in superpower, you build a concrete building of your strength but it won’t last against Tsunami. Such pandemics were part of the universe from many centuries, so just take care of yourself and let your immunity develop against these viruses by eating healthy foods and taking proper expert advice. Also, never fall to the country’s politics and always follow the scientific advices coming from scientific community all over the world.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The author is thankful to the J. A. T. Trust and Institute for providing such an infrastructure and healthy environment for the research and higher education.

Funding: No funding sources

Conflict of interest: None declared

Ethical approval: Not required

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