Hindustan Times (Delhi)

Take control to avert Covid-19 damage

- Sanchita Kalra DR RAJNEESH KAPOOR sanchita.kalra@htlive.com Srinidhi Gopalakris­hnan Naina Arora srinidhi.gopalakris­hnan@hindustant­imes.com naina.arora@htdigital.in Shreya Mukherjee shreya.mukherjee@htlive.com

The truth is, there is a deadly virus out there and it is not going away anytime soon. The infection can cause notable damage to vital organs.

The disease caused by the coronaviru­s is primarily a respirator­y or lung disease, but the heart can also suffer. There are multiple mechanisms for heart damage, temporary or lasting damage to heart tissue can be due to several factors:

As the virus causes inflammati­on and fluid to fill up the air sacs in the lungs, less oxygen can reach the bloodstrea­m. The heart has to work harder to pump blood through the body, which can be dangerous in people with preexistin­g heart disease. The heart can fail from overwork, or insufficie­nt oxygen can cause cell death and tissue damage in the heart and other organs.

nnLack of oxygen: Myocarditi­s:

Inflammati­on of the heart. Covid-19 may infect and damage the heart’s muscle tissue directly, as is possible with other viral infections, including some strains of the flu. The heart may also become damaged and inflamed indirectly by the body’s own immune system response.

Stress cardiomyop­athy:

Viral infections can cause cardiomyop­athy, a heart muscle disorder that affects the heart’s ability to pump blood effectivel­y. When attacked by a virus, the body undergoes stress and releases a surge of chemicals called catecholam­ines that can stun the heart.

Preventing infection spread is the key. There is no single right answer on how to be sure-shot safe from Covid-19. The ways to lessen risk for certain activities include frequent handwashin­g, wearing a mask, keeping your distance and other familiar protective measures. Here, the threat to safety is catching, and possibly spreading, an unpredicta­ble, potentiall­y deadly infection. So, my behaviour affects not only my health, but may also affect the health of others. And the behaviour of others can affect me.

If you are considerin­g relaxing restrictio­ns in your work or social life, consider these three important steps: Think about your risk factors for developing a severe case of Covid-19; do the same for others whom you’ll have contact with.

Find out if community spread is common where you live. Gauge how risky the activity is.

And then what? Weigh the five Ps to round out your reckoning of risks and benefits:

nnnnnnPers­onal risk tolerance:

Is your mantra ‘better safe than sorry’, or is it closer to ‘you only live once’?

If you’re an extrovert, you may be willing to dial down your restrictio­ns (and accept more risk) because the alternativ­e feels like torture. For introverts, limiting social interactio­ns may not seem so bad. If you put a high priority on dining out, getting your hair done or getting a tattoo, it’s a bigger sacrifice to put these off than it is for

Personalit­y: Priorities:

Disclaimer: This initiative is undertaken in the public interest. The informatio­n is only suggestive for patient education and shall not be considered as a substitute for doctor’s advice or recommenda­tions. Please consult your doctor for more informatio­n.

With wedding celebratio­ns resuming in the region, albeit low-key, it is once again a happy time for vendors, including mehendi-walas, who are hopeful to get their business back on track with precaution­s in place.

Capital-based mehendi artist, Raju, talks of measures he has taken to provide a safe experience to his clients. “During June, we had at least 25-30 mehendi bookings from Delhi to Bulandshah­r to Vrindavan. We follow stringent safety measures, right from regular temperatur­e checks for our team to sanitising the clothes. Gloves and masks are mandatory,” he says, while admitting that applying henna while wearing gloves is a cumbersome process, so one is taken off during the applicatio­n.

For Gurugram-based mehendi artist Rashi someone who doesn’t care about these things.

Although the pandemic affects everyone, it does not affect everyone equally. Some can weather the economic impact better than others. As a result, keeping one’s business closed or staying home from work are less appealing for some than for others.

One’s preferred sources of informatio­n and political affiliatio­n have a dramatic effect on views about restrictio­ns related to the pandemic.

We will all have to continue to make challengin­g decisions each day about how to behave during this pandemic, until

nnPocketbo­ok: Politics:

Aggarwal, who travels globally for work, location has become all the more important now. “We are trying to avoid highrisk areas. So the date, venue and the city play a major role. Sanitisers and masks will definitely be there, but we need to ensure lesser crowd around us,” she says. far more people are immune due to infection or a vaccine, or until we have effective treatment. And that could be many months or even years away.

So, listen to experts and their recommenda­tions, especially when they change in response to new informatio­n about the virus. Spread out your risk if you can: if you go to the grocery store today, put off your haircut to another day — in this way, the “virus dose” may be lower than if you’re out doing multiple errands among other people over a few hours.

Think about your decisions and how they may affect you and others. Try to be reasonable and consistent, but flexible in considerin­g new informatio­n. Avoid the temptation to “Covid-shame” those who have chosen a different approach; if their decisions put you at risk, do your best to avoid them.

Talk about your plans with those whom you’re sharing space with. When there’s no right answer and our decisions may affect each other, it’s especially important to understand others’ perspectiv­es.

The author of this article is Dr Rajneesh Kapoor, vice chairman -Interventi­onal Cardiology, Medanta Heart Institute, Medanta - The Medicity, Gurugram, Haryana

Brides are also taking all necessary safety measures. “My family decided to get PPE kits for the artists for relatives to have a safe and fuss-free experience,” says Delhi-based entreprene­ur Niharika Verma, who recently tied the knot.

Solve the four anagrams and move one letter to each square to form four ordinary words

Now arrange the letters marked with an asterisk (*) to form the answer to the riddle or to fill in the missing words as indicated.

This year, National Doctor’s Day comes at a very crucial juncture, with the fear of contractin­g Covid-19 having seeped into our lives. And for doctors, the situation isn’t very different, either.

Extended working hours, hospitals teeming with patients, the risk of getting infected and barely any ‘me time’ — these are just a few things doctors face every day. The pandemic has also come with its own set of challenges for medical practition­ers, who feel their field may undergo a rejig in the way it functions.

But one cannot let fear take over, asserts Delhi-based senior orthopedic consultant

From intense discussion­s to initiating a dialogue on some taboo topics and soulful music, the third edition of the recently-concluded Gurgaon Literature Festival, which went virtual, had it all.

Elaboratin­g on this year’s theme of mental health, depression and nepotism, festival director Shabri Prasad Singh says, “There were great discussion­s and healthy debates surroundin­g all sorts of topics, from coronaviru­s, the role of sex in mental health, to

Astrologer Prem Kumar Sharma can be contacted at: Delhi: 011-47033152, 40532026 (Sat to Mon): Panchkula: 91-172-2562832, 2572874 (Tues to Thurs); Mumbai: 0971614564­4 (Last week of every month)

Dr Aashish Chaudhry. “I urge people to have more faith than fear in their ability to control the virus,” he says, adding that hereafter, healthcare institutio­ns will have to innovate. “Digital health is going to take a big leap. Healthcare at home is the new big thing. Gone are the days when patients will visit hospital,” he says.

Echoing similar thoughts, medical director of a Delhi hospital, Dr HS Chhabra, says, “Teleconsul­tation has seen a great surge, and this is likely to stay. In rural areas, tele-consultanc­y can help in primary healthcare and triage, subject to better network connectivi­ty.”

However, such interactio­n marriage versus singlehood. People enjoyed, participat­ed and spoke on difficult yet important issues.”

Author Anand Neelakanta­n, who spoke on the topic Mythologic­al Women and

Their Psychology, feels the fest, held on Facebook, was no less than the actual one! “I enjoyed interestin­g topics and great debates in the comfort of my home...maybe, future lit fests are going to be like this...” he shares.

During a session on nepotism, model Sonalika Sahay said that in the fashion

Earning an extra buck may keep your nose to the grindstone. You will need to be at your tactful best to handle a client. Don’t neglect health under any circumstan­ces. Enjoying togetherne­ss with family is indicated and will keep you in high spirits. It may become possible to buy a property that you had been contemplat­ing for long. Those academical­ly inclined are likely to distinguis­h themselves in a quiz or contest. Good planning will help you in pursuing a social issue.

A satisfying romantic life is foreseen for some. might have its drawbacks, notes Capital-based Dr Gauri Agarwal. “Guarded by PPES, the interactio­n is likely to become more impersonal and physically distant. This can emerge as a challenge in detecting and treating diseases,” she says.

Dr Arjun Dang, the CEO of a renowned city-based private lab which is conducting drive-through Covid-19 testing, also outlines compassion and care as basic tenets of treatment. He adds, “One thing that has always been the cornerston­e of good healthcare is the trust and empathy between doctors and their patients.” industry, one does not face nepotism “as aggressive­ly” visa-vis Bollywood. “Groupism and favouritis­m is what ends up being much more toxic. We do get some products of Bollywood nepotism who walk as showstoppe­rs and on most occasions bring the show down!” she adds.

The experience ended on a soulful note with a Sufi performanc­e by Traditiona­l Nizami Brothers. your mind.

Love Focus:

match.

Pamela Anderson:

The Canadian-american model, actor and activist, who is known for TV series Home Improvemen­t, Baywatch and V.I.P., turns 53 today.

Success is foreseen for those trying to raise a loan. Something that you enjoy doing may be entrusted to you on the profession­al front. Precaution­s promise to keep you fit. You may be required to participat­e in a family event. A property owned by you may start giving good returns. On the academic front, you are likely to fare well. Adopt techniques to calm

Those romantical­ly inclined are likely to find an ideal

Lucky Number: 11 Lucky Colour: Pink

Being away from home is not easy, and for TV actor Pearl V Puri, the situation was no different. He, therefore, took the first chance that he got to travel to head back home to Agra, Uttar Pradesh, to be with his parents.

While flights are the preferred option, Puri chose to take the road. “I don’t think flights are safe now,” he says, adding,

“My parents are old, so I didn’t want to take any chance with their health.”

The 24-hour journey was tiresome, but it was worth it for the Naagin 3 actor, whose parents — Pummy and Vipin Puri — were elated on seeing him.

“Since the lockdown, my mother has been worried about my health. And after Sushant Singh Rajput’s death and so much happening, she would often end up crying while talking on the phone. That was one of the major reasons why I decided to undertake this journey,” he shares.

While he may have to return to Mumbai soon for work, Puri wants to make the most of this time at home. “I was writing and composing songs during the lockdown. I plan to do that more now,” says the actor, who released his debut single, Peerh Meri, last year.

There is no single right answer on how to be to be sure-shot safe from Covid-19. The ways to lessen risk include frequent handwashin­g, wearing a mask and keeping distance.

Entertainm­ent & Promotiona­l Features

 ?? PHOTO: HTCS ??
PHOTO: HTCS
 ??  ??
 ??  ?? Mehendi artist Raju’s team equipped with gloves, masks at work
Mehendi artist Raju’s team equipped with gloves, masks at work
 ??  ?? (L-R) Anand Neelakanta­n, Sonalika Sahay and Shabri Prasad Singh
(L-R) Anand Neelakanta­n, Sonalika Sahay and Shabri Prasad Singh
 ??  ?? Pearl V Puri
Pearl V Puri
 ??  ??
 ??  ??
 ??  ??

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from India