JOIN USQuarantine not a jail, no stigma attached: Telangana's first coronavirus case and survivor
Quarantine is not jail and there is no stigma attached to it, said 24-year-old Rama Teja Gampa, the first COVID-19 positive case and survivor from Telangana.
Teja’s assuring statement comes at a time when thousands across the country especially the foreign returnees are kept in 14-day confinement to prevent COVID-19 spread. However, some suspects are reportedly sneaking away from these states or home quarantines, thereby possibly becoming the virus carriers in their communities.
In his Sunday radio show “Mann-ki-baat” which focused on the pandemic that gripped the nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has interacted with two of the virus survivors “to let the public know how they coped with COVID-19.”
One of them is Gampa, an IT professional who is employed with a multi-national tech firm in Bangalore. A native of Secunderabad in Telangana, Gampa, DH has learnt, had graduated from IIT, Bombay.
Gampa is among the two cases, the other from New Delhi, declared as COVID-19 positive on March 2. Since then, the virus cases kept registering from various parts of the country with the confirmed cases now crossing 1000.
As reported earlier, Gampa had travelled to Dubai on company business on 17 February. He is suspected to have contacted the virus from his Hong Kong colleagues with whom he worked there for a few days. On his return from Dubai on February 20, the techie stayed in Bangalore for two days and then took a bus to visit his family here.
Initially treated at a private hospital, Teja was, according to health officials, admitted on March 1 in the state-run Gandhi Hospital, the nodal centre for COVID-19 treatment in Telangana.
“I work in the IT sector and had travelled to Dubai for some work-related meetings. It (virus infection) happened there inadvertently. After my return here I developed a fever and five-six days later tests showed me as COVID-19 positive. I was admitted to Gandhi Hospital and was discharged after 14 days,” Gampa told the PM over the phone.
Asked about his initial reactions, the young techie said, “It was frightening, I couldn’t believe. Because at that time only 2-3 were infected and not much was known about COVID-19. But the Gandhi doctors and nurses etc., took special care of me; they boosted my confidence with their constant supportive talk. The fear gradually made way for a belief that I would be better soon.”
About the effect the infection had on his family, Gampa replied, “Everyone was stressed at first. A blessing for my family and people around was their tests came negative. And from then, every new day brought some improvement in me.”
Gampa was discharged by March 14, two weeks after his case detection. “Even after coming home I am keeping myself confined to my room, wearing masks most of the time. I am taking all precautions like washing hands frequently,” he said.
Modi asked Gampa, who he was referring to as Ram, to make an audio of his experience and share it widely on social media to bring public awareness about COVID-19.
Gampa then said, “Yes, people are visualising quarantine like a jail. It is not and there is no stigma attached with it. Do not be afraid, (if you show all symptoms then) get tested. These quarantines are for your and your family’s well-being.”