#CovidCrusader: It's true what they say—not all heroes wear capes. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the warriors of today are the ones that wear a mask. In our very first Digital-only issue, Vivel and Femina are introducing you to those brave souls who are breaking the norms, risking their lives on a daily basis to make sure that people in need don't go hungry, everyone around you is well protected against the virus, stray animals are fed and taken care of.
Meet one such hero: Dr Tanu Singhal.
Life has taken a drastic turn in the last month for Dr Tanu Singhal, ever since the pandemic tightened its grip on the city. The consultant working with the Paediatrics and Infectious Disease department at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Mumbai, now, spends her days answering a barrage of questions from patients over the phone, setting up isolation wards, and training staff on how to take care of themselves and patients.
Dr Singhal admits that there is a general sense of panic as far as COVID-19 is concerned, and her biggest challenge is helping people conquer that. “We are flooded with calls and messages on a daily basis, and most are false alarms. We have a procedure wherein all patients are asked a set of questions, and basis that we decide who needs to come in to the hospital, and who doesn’t.” Doctors rely on their clinical judgement to take that call. “Patients are asked to take paracetamol and watch out for certain signs. However, as the infection spreads, we might have to change tactics. Whether it’s treatment or diagnosis, everything is evolving on a daily basis, and we have to keep tabs on guidelines,” she explains.
With stress levels at their peak, Dr Singhal suffers frequent headaches and migraines. In fact, detaching from work is not an option considering she is also in touch with other chronically ill patients, who are monitored through messages.In these times, her family—husband, daughter (13) and son (15) are her pillars of support. “They are concerned about my well-being and exposure to affected patients. My husband takes over the house while I am away,” she states.
On March 22 and April 5, when the nation clapped and lit diyas to thank healthcare workers, videos of many flouting lockdown rules went viral. Under such circumstances, the obvious question is—are Indians not taking the situation seriously? “The rich and the upper middle class are taking the right precautions. For the poor, however, there are other enemies bigger than the pandemic (poverty and hunger). Unless they are given complete support, they are bound to scout for survival,” Dr Singhal says.
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Another crucial aspect is testing and equipment. However, Dr Singhal says she has seen cases wherein patients test negative on a certain day, and positive two days later. Thus, unless one is testing patients every day for a prolonged period, this system wouldn’t be effective. “However, we hope the situation doesn’t escalate like it did in the US, Italy and Spain. We might have a problem then as the hospitals would be under severe pressure.”
Recently, a video of a mob attacking healthcare workers in Indore surfaced on social media. Do such incidents bring her morale down? “Not at all. These people don’t know what they are doing. Fear has taken over their intellect. But one has to look at the bright side and see the overwhelming support that health professionals receive. Moreover, as doctors we were prepared that there might come a time when we have to lead from the front. The time is now; if we quit, we are deserters,” she concludes.
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