The second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic has rattled us beyond belief. Dr Saumil Kapadia, a renowned general physician practising in India, confirms that this situation has left us more vulnerable than ever. Along with his expertise in medicine and his personal experience treating covid patients, he also shared some great insight into the medical system and his experience with it.
Coming from a family of doctors, where his father is a General Physician, his mother is a Dietician, and his brother is in the medical field too, one would assume that he decided to set his career in this field from the very beginning. Ironically, Dr Kapadia never set in stone that he wanted to pursue medicine, yet he knew it was his calling when the time came.
Instead of choosing to complete his education in the United States, he preferred the Indian medical system for studying and his day-to-day practice. He firmly believes that the recovery process requires trust and that trust only comes when the doctor and patient are able to connect – a factor that we find a lot more common in India as compared to foreign medical systems.
Motivated strongly by the positive impact he was making in others’ lives by healing them, Dr Kapadia shares that this primary reinforcer was rewarding enough by itself, and he enjoys his profession more than any other, especially since he can connect with his patients strongly and have them trust him too.
Since treatment in India strongly constitutes a personal, strong relationship between patient and doctor, he believes that becoming closely knit with a family and establishing the trust factor is essential. Since patients then support the doctor, this system encourages doctors to select the best treatments for specific patients.
As for the pandemic, Dr Kapadia believes that there is a lot left to learn about it; while we know it is a viral infection that spreads rapidly, may mutate, and leave us vulnerable, there is still a lot of uncertainty left in the field. While there is no protocol set in stone, we have made notable progress with treatments.
Unfortunately, countless Indians let their guards down this year as they recommenced weddings, functions, events, and more. Along with this, with vaccine hesitancy on the rise, it was no surprise that the covid second wave hit us. What was appalling, however, was the magnitude with which the wave impacted us.
Another new variant we noticed in the second wave was mucormycosis, more commonly known as the black fungus. However, it isn’t caught in many patients, and it is majorly immunocompromised patients with prolonged use of steroids who are more likely to be affected. It is, in fact, fear, paranoia, and overreaction that is making us more susceptible to the virus.
In terms of protecting us from the virus, we have masks and the vaccine. Masks are mechanical barriers shielding us, and the vaccine is an essential form of protection. Social distancing, however, is the most effective of them all. Although it has its limitations, it really reduces harm and makes effects milder. It further provides an opportunity for us to restructure hygiene in our country.
As for the economy, we have started to recover, and things will pick up soon. Sustaining the lower and middle class is also of utmost importance since they are the ones who lost their jobs as a result of the pandemic. However, people will find a way to keep going, and we eventually will return to our earlier economic position.
We need to manage the amount of misinformation being spread, especially by mainstream communication and chat messengers. People read forward messages, self-diagnose, and self-medicate, which is dangerous when it comes to an infection like the coronavirus.
We need to trust our doctors, hold faith, and believe that we can and will recover from this pandemic. If we socially distance ourselves, remain geared up in our masks, and take precautions, we really could return to life as we knew it.
