HYDERABAD: Fear, stigma, confusion and suffering came in like sea waves for months after Coronavirus struck Telangana state on March 2 last year, shattering many; who saw members of their family taken away by the virus one by one. Recalling their pain, they recount how separation of their loved one from them led to high anxiety and panic, aggravating the condition of those with co-morbidities.
Till the fever set in, many just did not know what was happening; even though their oxygen levels had already gone low. With March 2nd marking one year of the first case in Telangana, there are many who are still coping with the loss of their near and dear ones.
Verra Reddy, a technical executive with a biomedical company, said, "I lost my 65-year-old father in May. He was a diabetic patient. Despite all the care, we could not save him from infection. This regret has made my mother guilty, leading to severe depression. We are trying to cope, but it is a tough task ahead."
While many of them have overcome fear, understood symptoms and are experimenting with going out, fear is still lurking about a case being in vicinity. ECIL resident Beni Shenoy said, "We moved out for the first time in December with all safety protocols. Yet we could not escape the virus. Five members of our family got infected one after the other. Two of us got hospitalised in critical care. Is it really over?"
There are many who cannot help but move out on work. Livelihood is the biggest challenge faced by many, which is driving them out of their homes.
Haseeb Jaferi, a member of Hyderabad Trails, says, "I lost my mother and sister one after another in less than three days. The trauma is unbearable. It still makes me go cold. I too fell ill with the disease and had to challenge myself for getting out of the situation. Focusing on myself and my family health remains a critical goal. This has helped us bounce back but the scars remain. The news of cases increasing gives me chills. I pray that all of us will sail through it bravely."
