[PGA]

Originally Posted by AltoLXI

My BIL moved to the village in North Karnataka where his parents stay. Two months back when the cases started rising in Bengaluru and there were no cases in the village, he thought WFH from the village might be good idea. He keeps updating me on the situation there.

Last week ten people died in that tiny village due to the virus. Many had pneumonia like symptoms. The lone doctor who used to run a clinic packed up and left to Belgaum, at around the same time. With no doctors around, people relied on the quacks, who prescribed whatever they thought was the best. My another BIL who stays in the village advised them to go to Belgaum and get themselves checked. The replies he got makes one not only sad but also showcases the sorry state of the administration, beliefs people have and how fake news spreads. Here are the "beliefs" the people in the village have:

1. The doctors in cities are getting paid for the patients they treat and if the patient dies, the doctors get to keep the money. Hence they are injecting and killing patients to make money.

2. The doctors are killing the people in the name of virus and harvesting the organs. They then sell the organs and make money.

3. Some watched the video clips of the bodies being disposed in the fields and think they will also face the same fate if they die. Hence they do not want to go to the doctor.

A few more people have died and they were buried in the village. People from the village also participated in the funeral procession. The reason for the deaths were attributed to heart attacks.

If the situation in a small village is thus, it is apparent that it must be the same across the country. The reported numbers and statistics must be way off from that reported and might not even make sense.

This is exactly the state in my village, location Punjab. Whatsapp is playing havoc with logic and common sense of people. Though the death rate is low but it's getting attributed to all the other reasons except Carona. In the nearby village panchayat has passed a resolution not permitting docs to enter the village.

This is inspite of Govt doing level best to bring awareness and using all possible communication media. Since credibility of Govt is so low, fake news is ruling the roost.

[SS-Traveller]

Tonight, India moved from Rank #3 to Rank #2, decisively taking the lead over Brazil.


Source

Not a time to celebrate.

[V.Narayan]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Tonight, India moved from Rank #3 to Rank #2, decisively taking the lead over Brazil.

Attachment 2051954
Source

Not a time to celebrate.

And these are our 'official' figures. So many in small towns, villages and slums would have been affected without getting counted. And in many places the stigma of having died of covid19 is so high and the consequent harassment by local authorities so troublesome that other causes are attributed to a covid19 death to save the family from having the Govt breathe down their neck. With unemployment at an all time peak and GDP contraction at an all time nader we are probably staring at a crime wave too.

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

And these are our 'official' figures.
...Govt breathe down their neck. With unemployment at an all time peak and GDP contraction at an all time nader we are probably staring at a crime wave too.

https://www.indiatoday.in/india/stor...707-2020-09-04

Sixty-five workers at Amrik-Sukhdev and 10 at Garam Dharam dhaba had tested positive for coronavirus following which both the eateries were sealed on Thursday till further orders.

Every time a labour-intensive business tries to open up, this is what happens.

One of the places we've visited often, as have a number of BHPians, Distinguished or otherwise.

[Sri Vathsa]

From the time when corona virus started, i hardly went out until and unless it was absolutely necessary, about 15 days back my father in law passed away (natural causes - nothing to do with covid) and we had to travel outside Bangalore.

About 6 days back we returned from native and i had fever, with body pain and sore throat with occasional cough (my co-brother, my wife's sister had fever too). Today, i replaced Odonil pack in rest room and strangely i did not feel any fragrance! unfortunately i cant smell anything

Hardly interacted with family members and was sleeping separately. I cant gather courage to go to the test center, because if it comes out to be positive, they would paste a sticker which says Covid positive patient outside the house and lock down the area, worst part is these BBMP agents come and shout on speakers! (all these had happened with neighbor).

As of now, i have no fever (also in isolation from rest of members) and none of my family members are showing any symptoms of having covid.

Is there any labs in Bangalore, who would do this discretely or do this without embarrassing us?

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Why should you be embarrassed if you have tested positive? There is no stigma attached to the disease!

Embarrassment is not because of being tested positive or the disease itself, its because of the way the BBMP officials behave! Why would someone come to your doorstep, speak to you over loud speaker and tell you to stay shut inside, whereas you know about it already and they would seal down the area.

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by Sri Vathsa

Is there any labs in Bangalore, who would do this discretely or do this without embarrassing us?

https://www.livemint.com/news/india/...296225954.html

The Union Health Ministry updated its advisory on Covid-19 testing strategy and introduced on-demand testing without a prescription. However, it has given the state authorities the right to modify the modules accordingly.

"A totally new section has been added in the Advisory on “Testing on Demand" which for all practical purposes does away with prescription by a registered medical practitioner although state governments have the freedom to decide on simplified modalities," the Ministry of Health said in a statement.

The advisory elaborated testing on demand in various given settings:

It is to be noted that state governments need to decide simplified modalities. The on-demand testing facility can be availed by:

All individuals undertaking travel to countries/Indian states mandating a negative COVID-19 test at point of entry.
All individuals who wish to get themselves tested.
Tracking and contact tracing mechanisms should be ensured by the testing laboratories by notifying the public health authorities.

The health ministry also highlighted the frequency of Covid-19 testing. It stated that a single RT-PCR/TrueNat/CBNAAT/RAT positive test is to be considered confirmatory, without any repeat testing.

No re-testing is recommended prior to discharge from a COVID-19 facility after clinical recovery (please refer to MoHFW guidelines), including for transfer from a COVID area/ facility to a non-COVID area/ facility.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) had earlier updated their Covid-19 testing strategy with the on-demand facility guidelines.

In its guidelines, ICMR suggested that 100 per cent of people living in containment zones should be tested by rapid antigen tests, particularly in cities where there has been widespread transmission of the infection.

Why should you be embarrassed if you have tested positive? There is no stigma attached to the disease!

[ninjatalli]

Originally Posted by Sri Vathsa

Is there any labs in Bangalore, who would do this discretely or do this without embarrassing us?

Check out the policy of Bangalore if you need a medical prescription - Mumbai doesn't. 3 days back, I experienced mild fever, bodyache and constant headaches. Lasted for over 36 hours, so decided to get myself tested. Told my office (/boss) and close friends (for support if required) in advance and booked a home test with these guys (not sure if they are servicing Bangalore) for a PCR test.

A technician came home, in full PPE suit and took the swabs. Did not worry for a bit what neighbors would think; and actually no-one really cared. The test came negative a day later so getting back to the normal grind.

There is absolutely no negative stigma to this at all. Just look for an agency that does the testing and get it done asap.

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

https://www.livemint.com/news/india/...296225954.html


Why should you be embarrassed if you have tested positive? There is no stigma attached to the disease!

+1 to this.

[sansvk]

Originally Posted by Sri Vathsa

Embarrassment is not because of being tested positive or the disease itself, its because of the way the BBMP officials behave! Why would someone come to your doorstep, speak to you over loud speaker and tell you to stay shut inside, whereas you know about it already and they would seal down the area.

You should get yourself tested at the earliest. Please don't bother about others.
I have had 3 relatives tested positive recently, BBMP just bothered to visit one who was a senior citizen. For others they just called up and enquired. You can home quarantine or get yourself admitted with a positive report.
As per reports BBMP has stopped putting up notices.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/m.times...w/77901764.cms

[Hayek]

Originally Posted by Sri Vathsa

I cant gather courage to go to the test center, because if it comes out to be positive, they would paste a sticker which says Covid positive patient outside the house and lock down the area, worst part is these BBMP agents come and shout on speakers!

Please don’t be embarrassed. If educated people like us behave in this manner, then how will an epidemic be controlled.

My wife came down with Covid back in May - at that time, the challenge was convincing authorities in Bombay to let us get a test done. We did that, informed our neighbours and work. We also sent a mail out in our society’s group to warn anyone who had met us in the previous 10 days to watch out for symptoms. We were quarantined (as was everyone else on our floor) for two weeks. Volunteers from the society came in to help. Incidentally, her symptoms stopped even before the test result came (took 3 days post the test to get results).

The same protocol has been followed for every subsequent case. With the result that barring within the same home, we have had no cases of transmission of Covid within our society (which has 2000 residents plus plenty of staff)

It is NOT a big deal. Disclosing, testing early helps protect you and your neighbours. If everybody does it, it may even stop the pandemic.

[ABHI_1512]

Originally Posted by Sri Vathsa

About 6 days back we returned from native and i had fever, with body pain and sore throat with occasional cough (my co-brother, my wife's sister had fever too). Today, i replaced Odonil pack in rest room and strangely i did not feel any fragrance! unfortunately i cant smell anything

As of now, i have no fever (also in isolation from rest of members) and none of my family members are showing any symptoms of having covid.

First of all, condolences to you and your family for the loss. Secondly, there is nothing to be fearful. Since your symptoms are not that serious, if there is no compulsion to get tested then I would suggest you to skip the test and quarantine yourself at home for the next 15 days.

Also, there is no stigma attached and you are totally free to get tested. We friends have already intimated our doctor friends that we have returned to full active fitness and are willing to donate plasma if required. We will all be taking the antigen test after one month of regaining fitness. Just that we didn’t get tested because we all got to know about the primary source testing positive and our symptoms kind of gave the indication to all of us. Your symptoms are similar but I don’t think you should worry much.

This is my experience which I stated some days back and reading through your post, I think you are also going through the same. Please have a read and see whether it helps.

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/shift...ml#post4875728 (The Coronavirus Thread)

[sushantr5]

I live in Germany but I am really worried about parents who live in town called Karad in Satara District in Maharashtra.

I am in continuously in touch with parents, their friends and my neighbors. I could only judge from what I hear, situation is horrible.

There are no beds available. many of my teachers got infected, even they have to wait for bed for the trust hospital for which they teach. Bed allocation is getting preferential treatment. You have to use your strings to political figures to get into. One of parents friend friend family just admitted because they got infected with covid without any symptoms. My teacher was waiting for bed with his own oxygen cylinder.

Every house in our society went through illness with symptoms like covid. Some neighbors have lost life. Many known people from nearby town died but cause of death is mentioned like pneumonia, dengue, heart attack. Unfortunately many of them were lot younger.

Situation is lot problematic than shown and reported. States cannot handle load, corrupt nature of system making it difficult for poor to survive.

[akshaymahajan]

Originally Posted by Sri Vathsa

Is there any labs in Bangalore, who would do this discretely or do this without embarrassing us?

SRL labs provides home sample collection without the need for a prescription. The result SMS however comes from a number aliased as KAGOVT.

[hserus]

Originally Posted by akshaymahajan

SRL labs provides home sample collection without the need for a prescription. The result SMS however comes from a number aliased as KAGOVT.

Reporting positive cases to the government is mandatory. After that your house gets sealed whether you like it or not.

These days the TN government and some other governments (Punjab etc) have stopped hammering tin sheets on the door and placing banners stating corona hotspot. They're relying on volunteers / neighborhood watch type schemes to report quarantine violations.

[msdivy]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Every time a labour-intensive business tries to open up, this is what happens.

Did they prevent,
1) Crowding? (at rest-rooms, at queues)
2) Closed space? (well ventilated, Non-AC or AC must bring in fresh air)
3) Close contacts? (waiters masked, tables distanced)

If these places can ensure even if an asymptotic person visits and still others are *not* infected, then can they function in these times. This is possible with discipline and applies to other places like offices, markets, schools.

[vinodh_eee]

Hello Doctors.
I need a quick second opinion. My father suspected that he had COVID back in late June. Today he did the Thyrocare antibody test - IGG and Total.

IGG returned 3.1 which is greater than 1.4 and hence is positive.

Total returned a whopping 30, much greater than positive threshold if 1. How do I interpret this result. Attaching the results too.

Vinodh