Fear 2.0

In my earlier article on this subject I had shared my thoughts on Fear. In this part I share my views on how do we overcome fear, particularly irrational fear and thereby build up our immunity and resistance to the virus.

The first step in overcoming fear is to understand it, accept it. We must first realise that it is a very powerful emotion and will have an effect not only on the mind but also on every cell in our body. Because it is an emotion, we have the ability to switch it on and off. We can control it or allow it rule our lives. It is our choice.

How does one switch off fear? Particularly, the fear of this virus! Firstly, let us accept that a little amount of fear is good. It makes us take precautions: social distancing is even otherwise a good thing. Being near other persons who have some infections, any infection can cause an infection or contagion. Crowding is certainly not a good thing. At any time: virus or no virus! The authorities must regulate the number of persons that live together or come together in any living space or any travelling space. Hygiene comes next. Merely, washing hands or using a sanitizer will not eliminate all forms of ill health. It will certainly minimize the risk of infection not eliminate it. The important thing to do is when you touch something, anything do not bring your hand to your face particularly your nose or mouth or eyes. Even if you are wearing gloves! The virus does not enter your body through your skin only through the openings in your face. Sanitizing your hands when you enter a shop protects the shop from being infected by you. Sanitizing your hands after leaving the shop protects you from infection from the shop. You decide what is more important. Respiratory hygiene should be practiced. It is never good to cough or sneeze without covering your mouth. Virus time is a good time to improve sanitation all around us. The mask has become a symbol of this virus. Wearing a mask has been made compulsory. But I have seen several people talking to each other with the mask hanging below the chin. This serves no purpose. The mask is an effective device to prevent a person spreading droplets when he or she talks, coughs or sneezes. Even a two-layer homemade cotton fabric mask is good enough. By all means it should be made compulsory for a person who is unwell. By all means therefore it is also ok to make it compulsory for persons who interact with each other even if they maintain social distance. Also the type of mask is important. Researchers have found that trying a handkerchief or a bandanna is not a substitute for a mask. I have not fully understood the significance of gloves, particularly people going around wearing surgical gloves. It is difficult to sanitize a glove! If we are unwell we should stay at home. Wearing a pair of gloves is not going to prevent the spread of infection. Nor will it prevent a person from being infected. Having said this taking an informed decision on how one is going to protect oneself will reduce fear to a great extent.

The next aspect in the process of reducing fear is to understand as much as possible about the condition that is causing this fear: This virus and the changes that it causes in a body into which it infiltrates. Let us first start with the changes. I am sharing with you some of the definite features which the experts tell us. They tell us that once it enters the body it likes to reside in the coolest part of the respiratory system: the nasal tissue and passages. Symptoms develop within 4 to 14 days starting from the day that one is exposed to the virus. One way to dislodge the virus is to do steam inhalation even if you think there is a remote possibility that you have been infected. I am told that 10 minutes of inhalation will do. In over 95 percent of the cases the symptoms are mild: A fever, a dry cough and a feeling of tiredness. Within 7 to 8 days as is common with most types of viruses, the body mechanisms are able to render the virus harmless. Antigens remain in the body as evidence that the body was infected once with the virus. The popular term is that the person has been 'cured'. No curing has actually happened. Medication was taken or given to give relief for the symptoms: for example, paracetamol to bring down the fever, a cough syrup for soothing the throat and an energy pill to relieve the tiredness. Once the person has recovered, again popularly called as become "Covid negative", he or she cannot infect another person and we are also told that such a person will develop immunity for a while ...how long is not yet known. The same will be true of a vaccine. Even if it is developed and available commercially, it is not known how long will the immunity last. In any event one cannot say that the 'cured' person has won a battle or conquered something. Simply, he or she was infected and after a while was not.

It has been suggested that most people with mild symptoms should be allowed to treat themselves at home if they can be isolated and have someone to care for their needs during the isolation. People with mild symptoms do not need to be hospitalized, particularly in areas where the medical facilities have reached their capacity. Even normally hospitals can be places where one can pick up infections. The two signs to check for though are fever over 100 degrees Fahrenheit persisting for more than 3 days and oxygen saturation percentage of less than 90. We should train ourselves to read the simple pulse oximeter which is stuck on the finger. Within seconds it gives you readings. A high resting pulse corresponds to an elevated temperature. The experts say that if the oxygen levels go below 80 it can be fatal. Knowledge removes fear!

And finally prevention. Prevention occurs in two ways. Either you don't get infected or even if the virus tries to enter it does not cause any disease. The second aspect is significant. It means you have developed immunity to the virus. Vaccination or Inoculation is one method of prevention. The other is developing self-immunity. When a critical mass of the general population develops immunity called the "threshold", it is referred to as "herd immunity". Eventually this happened with the Spanish Flu in 1920 and will happen with Covid-19. When natural herd immunity happens the spread of the virus abates. When herd immunity sets in there is no reason for a vaccine. The way countries like Iran are reporting numbers, they appear to be going in that direction. In the meanwhile, how do we build immunity. There is no one size fits all recommendation. Some experts swear by vitamin C, others speak of turmeric lozenges. Still others speak of green tea and honey. Not to be left behind is the Indian gooseberry (Amla). Others also suggest dark chocolate, spinach, ginger, garlic, fenugreek and oranges and broccoli. Why not try them all, whatever is available and what you like! It could do no harm. A strong body and a healthy mind will go a long way in building immunity and keeping fear at bay! Stay Healthy! Stay Safe!

*We do not claim any copyright in the image. The same has been used for representational and academic purposes only. Image by succo from Pixabay.