Stop ostracising, PHOTO: ISTOCK start accepting
With India reaching a considerable number of Covid-19 infections, the chances of us coming in contact with a person who tested positive at some point are quite high. And unfortunately, the stigma attached to the disease can impact the patients and frontline workers as severely as the disease itself.
Ashwini Kumar, retired IAS officer and author, says, “The stigma harms the mental and physical health of an individual. It can manifest in the form of social rejection, gossip, physical violence or denial of services, and can lead to elevated depressive symptoms, stress and substance use.”
However, a little support goes a long way. For instance,
Farah Ali Khan, jewellery designer, recently tweeted about how she looked after one of her staffers, who had contracted coronavirus, by quarantining him at her home. Khan says ostracising Covid-19 patients is the cruellest thing to do, and urges all to be empathetic towards them.
Also, timely intervention can go a long way in avoiding suicides and other disturbing consequences. Sahiba Sethi, counselling psychologist, says, “Before discharging a patient, hospitals must consider talking to their families and friends, and allaying their fears calmly.
Mandatory counselling sessions for recovered patients will also help them, emotionally.”
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