The storm has landed
As the reality of the coronavirus begins to sink in, many South Africans have had to witness loved ones and friends become the victims of this deadly pandemic, writes
COVID-19 may have hit our shores in March, but it’s only now that the pandemic is becoming a reality as people you may know personally are starting to test positive and dying.
Just this week, actress Rosie Motene and actor/singer Brian Themba, as well as actor Mlamli Mangcala, disclosed that they have tested positive for the deadly coronavirus.
Two music promoters, Pheko Kgengoe and Shonisani Lethole, also tragically lost their lives to the virus.
Kgengoe posted on social media, shortly before his death, that he was waiting for his results but was struggling to breath and even walk (a short distance) to the kitchen. “Whatever I got is some next level SH*&,” he wrote.
Meanwhile, Lethole had reached out to Health Minister Zweli Mkhize about the ill-treatment he was receiving at Tembisa hospital, citing that he wasn’t fed for 48 hours. The matter is now being investigated.
But what do you do to treat the virus when you have symptoms and later test positive? Motene shares some remedies that have worked for her.
She says for a tight chest, steam twice a day with Vicks and eucalyptus oil. “Cover with a heavy blanket – 15 minutes.”
Motene recommends sleeping with a pillow under your tummy to help alleviate pressure on the lungs.
“Along with ACC, which helps with the cough, another remedy is warm milk and garlic, and chew the garlic 1. Gargle three times a day with salt water – boil garlic, ginger, lemon and honey 2. Headache – Sinutab 3. Body aches and pains – Panado sachets and Linctagon,” she shares on her post.
She advises that mobility is important and although she struggles, she tries to do 20 minutes of moderate exercise, noting that ventilating is also important.“[do] breathing exercise like blowing up a balloon or blowing into water with a straw.”
Finally, she recommends vitamin D, sunshine, zinc, vitamin C and plenty of rest.
Dr Marlin Mckay says he is seeing many cases of COVID-19 everyday on the West Rand area, where he consults, and explains that it is important to only go out for the bare minimum and not to socialise to minimise your risk of contracting the virus. He says goods to have at home are vitamin D, zinc, magnesium, hand sanitiser, masks, a good soap and surface disinfectant, adding that symptoms can start from day two and last for 14 days.
“In high-risk cases, be careful of breathing [problems] and fever. There are no quick fixes. Over 90% of patients do recover,” he says.
If you come into contact with someone who tested positive, you must quarantine, he adds. “For 14 days you do not leave. If you get sick, call your doctor and they will recommend a test. Don’t physically go to the doctor. If you get a negative result, it does not mean you are safe to go out. Thus, quarantine in case you test positive later.”
If you have flu-like symptoms and suspect you may have the virus, you must stay at home and not visit family and friends.
“I have parents in ICU who are critically ill because someone in the family was missing them and decided to visit, making them sick. Protect the elderly.” Mckay says with kids going back to school, science shows that they are not the primary spreaders of the virus and that the infection is much milder in children. “Please make sure your children go to school. Kids are mostly asymptomatic.” He discourages against taking antibiotics to manage the COVID-19. “Antibiotics are not effective in viral infections.” According to him, there is no proof of immunity. If you had COVID-19 and later recovered, [there is no evidence] that you may never get it again.
“People who have obesity, hypertension, type 2 diabetes and cancer patients are vulnerable and are at high risk. Protect yourself and make sure that you stay at home.”
He says one goes into isolation after testing positive. “This means you are totally on your own. Using own bathroom, sanitising the place. Do not share kitchens and bathrooms, do not share the laundry for the next 14 days. The rest of the family should be in quarantine.”