Take a pledge to fight against the stigma of Covid patients

PC THOMAS

COVID-19 is the biggest challenge of our lifetimes, unfortunately. It is changing human behaviors and attitudes today to a great extent and forcing people to respond in different ways. Presumably, the pandemic may require more time to be brought under control, and it may take years for normalcy in all aspects of life to return. Meanwhile, the moot question is how we would survive. Perhaps there will be radical changes in life in the future, as the crisis has caused a great deal of panic; the people now consider it more of a crime to be affected by it than a disease.

What is the attitude of society towards patients who are confirmed COVID-19 positive? Due to panic among the people, the COVID-19 positive people are sometimes treated like untouchables, even though they are recovering from their disease. The cured persons struggle with multiple factors, including social isolation, stigma, and discrimination, which put them at higher risk of psychological problems. This social stigma needs to be tackled through education and awareness.

According to doctors’ versions, the Covid19 is coming and going unknowingly to many of our people. 40 percent of people would not be aware of the fact that they have Covid. But when they were tested and found positive, they became not only the victims of COVID but also of a social tragedy. A stigma is attached to those who are sick, or suspected to be sick, as well as to those who tend to them.

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There is a need to change the mindset of the people. We need to understand how much suffering this crisis causes to the patients and their loved ones. People with this disease should not be discriminated against. In ancient times, only lepers were secluded to a great extent for fear of contracting the sickness or becoming ritually impure through any contact with them. But Jesus Christ touched the lepers and healed them, according to the scriptures. What is the attitude of people towards COVID-19 positive patients in this modern world? Unfortunately, people treat them as if they have committed a major crime when they are infected with the coronavirus.

Human relationships are to be maintained in all situations. Social distancing does not mean not helping each other. In fact, what is meant by social distancing is physical distancing. Unfortunately, the word social distance is often misunderstood. The so called social distance should be understood as keeping at least two meters physical distance between persons. Do not misunderstand it.  Human beings are social beings. They have to treat one another with respect, empathy, and love in all situations!

Also read-Stay positive in a negative situation.

No one can live without social connections in life. Our vision and focus of life should be for all and for one another. Otherwise, there is no point in saying that we are cultured or social beings. Even a herd of animals will always try to save a suffering animal. On the contrary, human beings are becoming indifferent to other human beings. Are we not better than other animals?

Today, there is a tendency to exploit the COVID situation by greedy people. It seems to give them some sort of power to control the lives of others through various means. Unethical business dealings are some of them. Hoarding of essential goods or selling things, including life-saving medicines at a higher price to people who struggle to survive, is one of them.  Public systems need to be put in place to protect the people from such exploitation and price rise. Let us take a pledge to fight against the stigma of COVID-19.