open letter

COVID-19

isolation

virus

Anwritten to the health ministry by apatient in KarnatakaMy family and I tested positive for COVID-19 and have been inat a government facility since then. What could have been a harrowing experience has turned out to be an eye-opener for us. From the moment we tested positive, the government and health authorities have worked like a well-oiled machinery to contain the spread and have shown every sign of how a mature, responsible system works in times of crisis.The moment my husband was suspected of having contracted the, we were brought to the hospital in an ambulance to ensure we did not infect a public or private vehicle.Next came the doctors, nurses and all the other support staff. As we went through all the steps of screening and testing, there was hardly any panic or hysteria to be seen. We were kept abreast of all developments in our cases. Apart from frequent visits by the doctors, we have been given their direct numbers for any questions or concerns we might have. Even psychiatric assistance is at hand in case one needs to talk, or if one feels ‘isolated’ during the ‘isolation’. We are well looked after, our needs are taken care of, our environment is clean and hygienically maintained.One of the first things that the health authorities did, as soon as we tested positive, was to begin the mammoth task of ‘contact tracing’. They have done a stellar job so far, whether it was contacting my husband’s office and coworkers, my child’s friends and classmates or our friends and neighbours. The school, apartment and office have all been successfully quarantined.The authorities have kept media at bay and protected our identities. I, personally, am pleasantly surprised and completely reassured at the government’s readiness and preparedeness in these testing times.The whole setup is working so seamlessly, so methodically, so tirelessly and with so much calm that it gives one hope for the future.To the detractors and critics, all I can say is that it is easiest to be critical sitting comfortably in your living rooms. Be thankful that our unsung heros, i.e., doctors, nurses, medical staff, health authorities, government, everyone is working tirelessly to keep all of us safe. Be thankful that you are in India, and not in Italy, China or Iran.Our system is working and working well.