CORONAVIRUS COVID VACCINE
Mandatory

On 11 March marks the declaration of COVID 19 as a pandemic, it marks one complete year of mask-wearing, sanitizing and precautions and distancing ...                                                                            
Below are some most curious facts about COVID 19 and my experience of encountering it.



    A YEAR INTO PANDEMIC 

    Though it showed effects in December 2019, it was first in March 2020 that it was declared a PANDEMIC. Corona Virus outbreak in the world was followed by coronavirus outbreak in India. And the recent week of March it completes one year.  Sucha a long time, that there is now corona essay in schools and fancy dresses competitions!

    Though tough and difficult it was a time that just flew away. I remember doing ancient history on 11 March in the state library in Chandigarh. Though we read a lot about this virus quite from the beginning that it was going to happen, was never in my mind even not in dreams. 

    In India, it was first on 24 March that a  Corona LOCKDOWN in India was declared. I still have those memories of how we were kind of put out of the library and told that due to Lockdown all public places are shut. Apart from this, Still that last spring rolls and Dahi papri I ate while discussing it with my friends.

    A YEAR OF PANDEMIC
    Strict Rules

     Even vegetables were also supplied by government bus in which two policemen were present for strict regulations of rules. 

     Corona Virus for students, especially UPSC aspirants was yet another rumour before this, but on that day it became reality. Thereafter it was just Dal or Aloo in the PG nothing else. Even Maggie was a dream at that time.

        For three to six months there was no relief from it and yes my day 3 JUNE 2020 that is UPSC PRELIMS was postponed and god knows the uncertainty we aspirants faced. Because no matter what everyone else said about being lucky, but the fact is the more time the tougher the exam! (This is the reason why I was least surprised by the difficulty level of the paper!) 
     
    Most of us were at different times and scenes and tasks. I remember how horrified my family was and how much I was scolded for being struck. 
    I was the only one along with the cook in the PG. 

    As time passed and the lockdown eased it was a time of fatigue, fatigue of 
    • WEARING MASKS
    • NO JUNK FOOD
    • SOCIAL DISTANCING 
    • SANITIZING ALMOST EVERYTHING 
    • UNCERTAINTY 
    • BEING OVERCAUTIOUS
    • Also of FRUSTRATION situation. (Know here about Frustration)




    I remember that the suffocating PPE I wore in the flight was like an anaerobic survival challenge for me. 
    Moreover, those staring eyes of co-passengers are like asking zyada hi dar lag raha hai ise  !!!
     

    One more interesting thing which was my first experience was that of stockpiling. I mean yes  I was told by my friend that it is going to be completely shut off and PG owners unable to overcome their miserly behaviour will make a hell out of food, so I should buy essential things. 

    Don't know what that friend understood by essentials my definition was like ...


    And I had more you know life is Impossible without Maggie ...

      So, though a lot more to share these were some of the most memorable ones.



     TESTING FOR CORONA VIRUS   

    Well coming to these question as of now you pretty well know that I was contracted with it so I can tell you better. 

    About Corona Symptoms I can say, you just start feeling a little feeble and kind of low immunity type. I mean I felt exhausted even at the start of the day at 7 AM. I rested for some days, took sleep of 8 hours but it was not bettering anyhow. Then my family reported the same to me, I got goosebumps and got the first thought of corona. 
    They got us all tested. 


    As shown above they just the swab. We got the result the next morning, but now it is quite faster. Then we got Corona treatment. Though I will discuss it below in nutshell it is just management of Oxygen and the common cold.

                                              

    WHERE TO GET COVID VACCINE

    This is the buzzword around, WHERE CORONA VACCINE IS FOUND?
    In India it is simply by registering on the COWIN app. or you can use AROGYA SETU  if you want.
    It is simply by adding your id proof and then searching for a vaccine venue near you. 

    This link is of a video I saw you can also. 
    It provides easy registration through AROGYA SETU APP. 

    There will be 2 Jabs of the vaccine and it is effective as per the reports and figures released. So, you can go for it!


    HOW LONG DOES COVID 19 LAST

    It is dependent on your condition I would say. Like we all except my father were not that critical so we came back like in a week. But due to severe condition my father had to stay for 15 to 20 days. So the Virus whether it is gone or not can't be said as such but yes the severity hardly lasts for a week or two.

    Moreover, you have to supplement medicine with traditional methods like turmeric milk, steam, Kadhah and the complete rest help a lot to recover faster. 
                            

    WHEN CAN I GET COVID VACCINE 


    This up to your age. If you are above 60 or a health worker then as of now you can get it anyways, even one spot. But if you are below 60 without co-morbidity and not a health worker you have to wait for your turn. (Yes, you got it right I am also below 60😂. )

    Other Nations are also doing the same, mostly they are vaccinating the elderly and health workers first. 

    IS COVID VACCINE FREE IN INDIA 


    According to the ministry's guidelines, it is free in government hospitals and can cost a maximum of 250 Rupees in private hospitals. 
    Rest honestly I haven't been vaccinated yet nor anybody from my family, so, I have no experience!

    IS THE VACCINE SAFE 


    Yes, I mean lakhs of people have been vaccinated so, there is no need for what is called vaccine hesitancy. Moreover, vaccines like COVISHILD & COVAXIN are manufactured in India. So, the will suit us and our climate. And, I mean we should be proud India is the producer of these vaccines. 
     
    According to the data from the government, it is saved!





    WHO SHOULD GET COVID VACCINE FIRST 


    Well, to be precise it was MANISH SHARMA a frontline worker in India who got the first shot. 
    As, of now frontline workers, doctors, nurses, etc. have been given the first jab. Senior citizens and those 45+ with co-morbidities will get vaccinated first. 

    And eventually, they should get priority due to more exposure and lesser immunity. 


    CORONA VACCINE OF INDIA


    Covishield of Astra Zeneca and Serum Institute of India 
    Covaxin of Bharat Biotech is the two vaccines of India. While Covashield is in collaboration with Oxford, Covaxin is indigenously developed. 
     India has not only been able to vaccinate its population but also sent vaccines to other middle income and LDC, this is a great step to curb Vaccine Nationalism in rich countries. 

    So, take a moment, even those, who say "India mein kya rakha hai", take a moment to applaud not only the achievement of our scientist and manufacturers but also the Intent we have as a global member!



    HOW MANY COVID VACCINE SHOULD ONE TAKE 


    Well, mostly it is 2 doses. The time lag between the two is dependent on the nation you live in. In India, it is 4 weeks i.e., 28 days. 
    In European countries, they have taken 14 days to 6 weeks. 


    HOW CORONA VIRUS SPREAD?


    Well, it is a contagious disease and is transmitted through the saliva of the infected person, more precisely through the vapours in the air. Therefore, it can even be in the air for some time and you crossing by without a mask can get contracted. Therefore, Corona tracker is hard to design. Hence, there are Corona zones which mean, there is coronavirus in the air and hence mass spreading is there. There, were also apprehensions of it being on the clothes, the reason why there was so much laundry during the initial days of corona! 

    With high fever, cough and cold it is not easy to detect. But corona symptoms as I have had them are more like the feeling of laziness and tiredness. The corona treatment is thus, not something new but simple as that for cough and cold and pneumonia. There are no  Corona side effects and hence it should not be hidden and treated as soon as possible. Corona and its impact are only low immunity. As of now, there are no other impacts reported. 



    HOW CORONA WAS BORN?


    It was first reported in WUHAN, CHINA. Else are only speculations and assumptions. Earlier it was said that spread from bats, but it is yet to be certified by WHO.
    The History of Corona can be cited from the Corona strain in 2004 in China. This virus belongs to a family of viruses, which are crown-shaped hence, called CORONA greek for the crown. 
    There was much strain of corona before also, but this is a new and more severe we can say. 
      
    In India, it was Kerala, where a student from china was first contracted. Thereafter, the chain just got longer and longer. And, we in Baramati also became a part of when Corona came to Maharashtra!

    FAQs

    WHERE CORONA VIRUS IS FOUND?

     In congested areas mostly. Like in those places where, there is a lot of crowd like Malls, Temples, Markets, etc. 


    HOW CORONA CAN BE PREVENTED?

    It is by being in Covid appropriate behaviour i.e., MASK, SANITIZER, SOCIAL DISTANCE!
    Moreover, home remedies like Turmeric Milk, Khada, etc. also build immunity and can help.

    WHY CORONA IS CALLED COVID 19?

    CO - Corona 
    VI - Virus 
    D - Disease
    19 - 2019 
    n or novel - New 

    Hence, it is to just note the year, type of the virus. And corona means Crown as it looks like a crown with its spikes. 




    WHEN WILL CORONA STOP, WILL CORONA VIRUS END IN 2021?

    This was the question that almost every relative asked me initially. I just cited the newspaper information. Some were like Corona Virus kab khatam hoga ?..  But the truth then, and now is nobody knows. We can just hope. Corona latest news and reports are just plain predictions although intelligent and scientific predictions but no assurances. 
    If we take a look at the global scenario, it is like developing a vaccine for one and then the strain changes. The road if yet too far, but HOPE will keep us ahead. 


    MY COVID 19 EXPERIENCE OF 2020


    Now, you don't have to think too far, yes my whole family got contracted with the one and only CORONA👹. 
    Well, it was in September that all of us got suddenly symptoms like heavy head, fever, cough. And yes it was different than that usual one!
    Once, my father's report was positive I just took everyone and made them tested. 

    And yes within a fraction of seconds we got to lock everything up and landed in the hospital. 



    This was the scene there as all of us were in the local government hospital of Baramati.

    Yes, hygiene and chaos were prevalent there. Doctors were just exhausted and tired, so much so that I had to chase them to visit our ward. 
    Among us, my father was more severely affected as he got a 90% infection and was in the ICU. 

    They were just unable to decide about giving him Remedisivir, I just forced them to go for it. 
    It was a very scary thought, but I was just flowing with time. I mean I rushed for every bottle of water, for giving my family food at a time. At times it was very heart aching to see how others who had nobody with them to look for them. 

    And yes, papa was very critical and honestly the doctors though I owe them my gratitude, were kind of lackadaisical. 

    So, I took some piece of advice from my close relatives and friends, we decided to shift him to Pune. There was a shortage of beds but we managed. 
    I still remember him in the ambulance, I was very scared and tensed but I knew I can make it, we will make it. 

    Due to stable condition, we all except papa have discharged to a home quarantined for 14 days. 
    We went home, it was what to say wired. I mean Corona, might be it is still on my bed, in the kitchen, in the bathroom, anywhere!

    Though sanitisers were used I was a perception or mindset. Something was not well, it was as a big storm has passed by, silence all over!
     
    And Jenny (my dog)  missed us badly, she was all alone and was the only one who wasn't scared to come near us. 


    Everything else was just distant, shops, neighbours, everything so so far away.

    Within a couple of days, papa came back, quarantine was over. It was time to get back to studies and out of that corona trauma. 

    But even as I remember today those dreadful days, I feel very helpless and weak in front of nature. 
    I mean, just to earn some paper (money) we cut trees, make animals without a home. This contracts us with zoological diseases and we have no control over it. Even that money can't save us. 

    My getaway was just a deep respect for nature, the way it is made and works. 
    I made a deep promise that I won't ever be the reason nor a part of such destruction that is going on blindly. 


    WHAT SHOULD WE LEARN FROM CORONA 

     What Corona Virus taught us?


    Well, one I have already mentioned above, i.e., RESPECT NATURE as it is. 
    It is best the way it is, we should accept we are not as great as it is.
    It has a mechanism, structure the way things work. The demarcation of everything. 

    Other things are like

    1. GRATITUDE for Jenny (my dog), for all things that we take just for granted. For those hands that lent help, those relatives who encouraged. And yes those people who made everything just so simple.

    2.SOLITUDE and embracing happiness in it. I went so many days without talking to anyone whether during quarantine or in Chandigarh. Now, I now longer fear being alone. 

    3. POSITIVITY as I learnt when my father was so severely impacted but I still directed my thoughts to be most positive. 

    4.HOPE it is the most important one I would say. I remember people just said no prelims this time. But I kept my hope, just went with the flow and studied each day. 

    5. LOVE for those who were apart from us as a result of the corona. Distance made them more valuable.

    6. IDENTIFICATION of true friends, real people who care. I saw many faces without their fake cover. I realised that in non-corona times they would fake it as usual.

    7. PRAYER as it was the only thing we had in our hands. I remember myself praying when I heard those fatalities or those labourers walking by the foot home!

    8.IMPORTANCE of all the labour which owners thought as money minded and greedy. It just highlighted how important HOME is. And next time PK movie will mean more to you than just comedy ...



     So, this was what I could recall at most. 

    Hope you have had a joyful reading. Let me know your experience in the comment. 

    Do good, be safe!!!