‘SOCIETY’S SCARS WILL TAKE LIFETIME TO HEAL’

DHARAMSHALA : Winning the battle against coronavirus was tough, but the road to recovery has been tougher for Himachal Pradesh’s Patient Zero.

A native of Shahpur in Kangra district, the 32-yearold chef who worked at a Singapore hotel is not comfortable with even sharing his name. “I was not afraid of the infection. It’s the scars that society has given my family and me that will take a lifetime to heal,” he says.

He was among the first two Covid-19 cases reported in the state on March 20.

He returned home on March 18 and voluntarily went for a checkup the next day. His test report confirmed he was positive on March 20.

“I knew coronavirus can infect anyone irrespective of age or health. Soon after arrival, I volunteered to go for a check-up. I did not want to expose others to the risk,” he says.

DETERMINED TO DEFEAT VIRUS

He admits he was shaken initially. “I could not have let this invisible enemy overpower me. I was determined to defeat it,” he says.

He strictly followed the doctors’ advice and was discharged from hospital on March 29, after he tested negative twice. A bigger battle awaited him.

On his return home, his family faced a social boycott by villagers. “Shopkeepers would not sell us anything. It hurts when your own people do this to you. I couldn’t bear the stress,” he says.

The situation came to such a pass that he had to seek help from the district authorities. It was after Kangra subdivisional magistrate (SDM) Jatin Lal visited and honoured him for fighting Covid-19 that public perception started changing.

“Things have improved but I still find people staring at me or exchanging shifty glances when I go to the market. These are people who were once close,” he says.

HOME-BOUND AFTER BITTER EXPERIENCE

“Don’t fear the virus. It can be defeated with willpower. Those infected are not criminals. All they need is empathy,” he says.

He spends most of his time at home, looking after his pregnant wife and elderly parents. He is uncertain about returning to his job in Singapore but looks forward to better days.