Help on social media is great, but it doesn’t always work, says Eijaz

Actor Eijaz Khan is staying in isolation and taking prescribed medicines, after having developed symptoms of Covid-19. However, to his surprise, he has tested negative.

“Apparently, there are false negatives on first four days. One must check on the symptoms and take care. These are terrible times, a close friend of mine is currently hospitalised and every day, you hear of some friend losing a family member,” he says.

The actor has been amplifying posts on social media for helping people. But lately, he feels it has become sort of a ‘rabbit hole’. “Sometimes the leads are verified, at other times, they aren’t. In the interim, critical patients lose time. It’s beautiful to see people trying to help each other on social media, though sometimes, it works otherwise. People have reacted saying numbers you posted aren’t working. But we are actors, not part of the system or government, so there is only so much we can do. Yet, when a few leads work out, it makes it all worth it,” he explains.

While trying to help people, including his ex-staff and others known to him, Khan feels sad to see the challenges everyone is facing. “It has been more than a year and so many of them have not had jobs for long. There are so many levels of struggles that people have gone and are going through — emotional, physical, financial and mental. I get so many resumes daily asking for help... Graduates and post-graduates willing to do any job, even as a driver. It breaks my heart and I try to help as many as I can,” he reveals.

Sometimes leads are verified, at other times, they aren’t... critical patients lose time. EIJAZ KHAN, Actor