Health awareness. These two words have proven to be our most effective weapons for COVID-19 today. With no cure or vaccine available, global organizations, national governments, the media, and practically everyone is focusing on spreading awareness about the virus. New innovations like chatbots, robots, etc. are increasingly being used to spread the word.
Without these awareness programs, SARS-CoV-2 would have infected 70% of the world population, averaging 53 million deaths.
We are fortunate that mass-level conscious measures like social distancing, proper handling of groceries/packages, and other preventive measures have helped lessen these morbid figures enormously.
The disease has a strong correlation with your mindset and lifestyle too.
Here are some verified facts :
Smoking
Recognized by the WHO & CDC as being a major risk factor for the disease, smoking causes a decrease in your lung capacity, increasing your oxygen needs and thus increasing the risk of serious illness.
Smoking also means that your fingers or contaminated cigarettes are in touch with your lips which increases your chances of infection.
Diabetes
People with diabetes should continue their medication & insulin schedules (have a two-week stock ready), as well as their diet & exercise schedules. They must test & record their blood sugar level every 4 hours. If sick, diabetics should consume a lot of extra calorie-free liquids to stay hydrated.
Severe heart conditions
A damaged respiratory system makes it difficult for the heart to operate, increasing the risk for people with heart diseases. People having serious heart conditions must take their prescribed medicine as there is no evidence of Blood Pressure drugs affecting the severity of the disease. Additionally, they must keep checking their BP levels and manage it through diet & exercise.
Painkillers
(NSAIDs — Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) such as ibuprofen can worsen coronavirus. If needed, paracetamol is the safest painkiller.
COVID-19 has wreaked havoc in our lives, and yet it continues to bring into limelight our lack of awareness regarding human health. Though not as infectious, lifestyle diseases like diabetes & heart disease are also on the rise in India. We have the highest no. of diabetics in the world (50.8 million) and about 60% of the world’s patients of cardiovascular diseases.
Yes, it requires extensive knowledge & steady discipline but that’s hardly any price to pay to avoid a life full of suffering, pain, and trips to hospitals.
Our lives will never be the same after the pandemic. Let us tap our human ‘fighter’ spirit and give it a positive turn; let us empower everyone to take health issues seriously. For us, our families, our children, and this planet.
Stay Safe!
We are NIROGGYAN, a healthtech startup. Our products (user-friendly lab test reports) are meant for health awareness & better lives. And hey, we even have Smart Reports for COVID-19!
Visit us at niroggyan.com to know more.
