‘Testing early key to protecting yourself’

Dr Sat Pal Gojra, Deputy Medical Commissioner, Hoshiarpur, woke up to high-grade fever on July 26, after which he got himself tested for Covid-19. When his report came out positive, he decided to isolate himself at the hospital. He goes on to share his experience…

“It was on July 26, when I woke up feverish. I fetched a thermometer and checked my temperature. It was 102°F. Not only this, I had an upset stomach, too. I thought of getting tested for Corona and I went for it. My test was done at Hoshiarpur Civil Hospital on a TrueNat machine and lo, I was found Covid positive. Since I have my elderly parents and daughter at home, I opted for institutional isolation at the Civil Hospital, Hoshiarpur, for their safety and prevention of spread of the infection.

“I went through a different kind of an experience and my books, especially some religious ones, were my companions during my 18-day stay at the hospital. For the first 3-4 days, I had high fever - 102°F - with severe bodyache, headache and infection. Then, for the next four days, it was around 100°F and then it remained 99°F for a couple of more days and I finally recovered from it.

“The stay at the hospital was quite comfortable as the Health Department provided almost all required facilities. The food was nice, the care, medical facilities including regular check-ups by doctors and medicines, too, were provided at regular intervals. I had a pulse oxymeter with me and I regularly monitored my oxygen level thrice a day. Luckily, it was around 96-97 per cent always, so I didn't need artificial oxygen. After staying at the hospital for 18 days, I tested negative and returned home. My books gave me the requisite strength, boosted my morale and helped me in staying focused towards getting out of it with a healthy mind along with a healthy body. It is important to be mentally prepared for your stay in isolation if you are tested positive. A positive attitude is a must. So, stay positive if you are tested positive because it's going to help you a lot. Another thing that is extremely important is that early testing can help stay safe and keep your family and friends safe, too! Most of the deaths are being reported just because people don't come out for testing at an earlier stage. Please keep in mind that in most of the serious cases, there were almost no symptoms except a fall in oxygen level and if tested on time, oxygen may be given to patients to save their precious lives. So, the key to secure yourself is gettign testing at the earliest.”

(As told to Sanjiv Kumar Bakshi)