It is alarming to see how many people are still not taking Covid-19 seriously, especially when it comes to masking up and maintaining social distance.
These people seem to be out of touch with reality, and think that Covid-19 will attack everyone else but them. What’s more, there is a growing perception among Malaysians who seem to think that once they are fully inoculated, they are impervious to the virus.
This is a dangerous idea to entertain, especially considering what happened to frontliner Glenn (not his real name) recently.
Having received his vaccine in March, Glenn was still diligent in adhering to Covid-19 SOPs. Not one to let his guard down, he bought and wore N95 masks all the time while at work. He even made sure to observe social distancing and sanitised his hands periodically.
As a health officer, he could not afford to take risks as he would always be in contact with high risk patients. So, he really had to be very careful.
However, in May, he suddenly developed a cough and fever. In no time, he lost his sense of smell along with his appetite and also experienced fatigue. As he suspected, his PCR results confirmed his worst fears – he was Covid-19 positive.
It felt surreal. He couldn’t believe it because he took such great care in wearing masks and maintaining good hand hygiene. But as a frontliner, he accepted that this is a risk which comes with his job because he is exposed to patients on a daily basis.
Thankfully, he was admitted to a Covid-19 designated hospital for observation and treatment and did not develop any breathing difficulties. There he remained under observation while experiencing Category 2 symptoms such as fever and tiredness.
During that time, Glenn was treated with paracetamol and was instructed to drink lots of fluids to keep himself hydrated. To keep his mind active and occupied, he read and rested. By day six, his fever had abated and by day 11, his appetite also returned.
While most of his bodily aches and tiredness had reduced, Glenn still lost almost three kilograms during his short hospital stay. Even so, his repeat Covid-19 swab test was negative and he was allowed to return home.
Two weeks later, Glenn was welcomed back to work by his joyful colleagues who were excited to see him return to his cheerful self. Fortunately, he had a full recovery and did not have any effects of long-Covid, such as scarring of the lung or loss of stamina.
Thanks to his vaccine, Glenn was spared from severe Covid-19 symptoms and was able to recover just nicely with the support of his family and the dedicated medical staff.
That being said, Glenn has chosen to share his experience with fellow Malaysians so that they do not take things for granted. Being fully inoculated does not imply one is not susceptible to Covid-19 but it does play a huge role in mitigating the effects of the deadly virus.
As such, Glenn hopes that his story will inspire and encourage more Malaysians to sign up for the national immunisation programme and do their part in fighting the pandemic. After all, complacency has no place in a pandemic.
TELEME Healing Life Stories is a collection of inspirational stories of how ordinary people triumph over their health conditions and recover to lead a healthier life after that. Feel free to email [email protected] to share your story
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