From the Valley of Shadow of Death COVID-19 - Year 2020, to Renew and Restore October 2021

Joyce F  Vaghela

Joyce F Vaghela Senior Consultant and HOD, Community Health Department, St. Stephen’s Hospital, Sunder Nagari, Delhi, India.

Keywords: COVID-19, CAB, Lockdowns, Mental Health

Abstract

The world was busy with routine activities till end of January 2020, when suddenly it realized that life has changed. The till 13.10.2021.

Objectives: To study the knowledge of COVID–19 among people born in India and how it has affected them.

Settings and Design: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 100 people of Indian origin, 50 females and 50 males from Delhi, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Telangana, and abroad. Their ages ranged between 18 to 90 years.

Methods and Material: A Google Form having fifteen questions on COVID–19 was sent via email and/or WhatsApp after taking participants’ informed consent. Only those who gave consent attempted the Google Form.

Statistical analysis: Hundred replies were entered in MS EXCEL and MedCalc software was used. Data was described in the form of percentages, proportions. The Significance for outcomes was calculated, using the Odds Ratio (OR) and the P-value was considered significant at P<0.05.

Results: All 100% of participants correctly reported COVID Appropriate Behaviour (CAB) and its symptoms. Twenty-two percent had Covid. Eighty-five % and 88% said Covid has affected family income and children’s studies respectively. Forty-five % wish Covid - 19 should end, 15% get disturbed thinking of 3rd Wave, and 13% fear some close family member’s death.

Conclusions: Indians have good knowledge of COVID–19 but had a negative impact on mental health.

Author Biography

Joyce F Vaghela, Senior Consultant and HOD, Community Health Department, St. Stephen’s Hospital, Sunder Nagari, Delhi, India.

Background: The world was busy with routine activities till the end of January 2020, when suddenly it realised that life had changed. The virus infected almost 239 million people worldwide, and the number
of deaths reached around 4.9 million. In India, Coronavirus cases were 34,001,743 and the number of deaths had reached 451,220 by October 13, 2021.
Objectives: To study the knowledge of COVID-19 among people born in India and how it had affected them
Settings and Design: A prospective study was conducted among 100 people of Indian origin, from Delhi, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Telangana, and abroad.
Material and Methods: A Google Form having 15 questions on COVID-19 was sent through email and/ or WhatsApp after obtaining participants’ informed consent. Only those who gave consent attempted the Google
Form. Hundred replies were entered in MS Excel and MedCalc software was used. The significance for outcomes was calculated using Odds Ratio (OR) and p value was significant at p < 0.05.
Results: All 100% of participants correctly reported COVID-19- Appropriate Behaviour (CAB) and its symptoms. Of the total, 22% had COVID. Among the participants, 85% and 88% said that it affected
their family income and children’s studies respectively, 45% wished COVID-19 would end, 15% were thinking of the third wave, and 13% feared some close family member’s death.
Conclusions: Indians have good knowledge of COVID-19 now and it has had a negative impact on mental health.

References

Backer JA, Klinkenberg D, Wallinga J. Incubation period of 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) infections

among travellers from Wuhan, China, 20-28 January 2020. Euro Surveill [Internet]. 2020 Feb [cited 2021 Oct

;25(5):2000062. Available from: https://pubmed. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32046819/ [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

LePan N. Visualizing the history of pandemics [Internet]. Visual Capitalist; 2020 Mar 14 [cited 2021

Sep 24]. Available from: https://www.visualcapitalist. com/history-of-pandemics-deadliest/ [Google Scholar]

Soni P. Effects of COVID-19 lockdown phases in India: an atmospheric perspective. Environ Dev Sustain

[Internet]. 2021 [cited 2021 Sep 24];23(8):12044- 55. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.

gov/33424429/ [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Wikipedia [Internet]. Indian migrant workers during the COVID-19 pandemic; 2020 Mar [cited 2021 Sep 24].

Available from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_ migrant_workers_during_the_COVID-19_pandemic

NDTV [Internet]. Buses not feasible for moving migrants, states appeal to centre: sources; 2020 Apr

[cited 2021 Sep 24]. Available from: https://www. ndtv.com/video/news/news/buses-not-feasible-formoving-migrants-states-appeal-to-centre-sources547186?rdr=1

Times of India [Internet]. Epidemic could peak in India by mid-May: study; 2020 Apr 22 [cited 2021

Sep 24]. Available from: https://timesofindia. indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health-news/

epidemic-could-peak-in-india-by-mid-may-study/ articleshow/75287335.cms

Medical Dialogues Bureau [Internet]. AIIMS releases interim clinic guidance for management of COVID-19;

Apr 20 [cited 2021 Apr 20]. Available from: https://medicaldialogues.in/news/coronavirus/aiimsreleases-interim-clinic-guidance-for-management-ofcovid-19-76799 [Accessed on 17.10.21]

AIIMS [Internet]. Clinical guidance for management of adult COVID-19 patients; [cited 2021 Oct 17]. Available

from: https://covid.aiims.edu/clinical-guidance-formanagement-of-adult-covid-19-patients/

Chauhan C. Half of all Covid deaths in India took place in April-May, shows government data [Internet]. Hindustan Times; 2021 Jul 25 [cited 2021 Oct 13]. Available from:

https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/halfof-all-covid-deaths-in-india-took-place-in-april-mayshows government-data-101627204345380.html

DNA [Internet]. COVID-19 vaccine: timeline on nine countries which started rolling out vaccines; details

here; 2020 Dec 19 [cited 2021 Oct 13]. Available from: https://www.dnaindia.com/health/news-covid-19-

vaccine-timeline-on-nine-countries-which-startedrolling-out-vaccines-details-here-2863044

Statista [Internet]. Number of cumulative cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) worldwide from January 22, 2020 to June 13, 2023, by day; [cited 2021 Oct 13]. Available from: https://www.statista.com/ statistics/1103040/cumulative coronavirus-covid19-cases-number-worldwide-by-day/

Worldometers [Internet]. India: Coronavirus cases; [cited 2021 Oct 13]. Available from: https://www.

worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/india/

MedCalc [Internet]. Free statistical calculators; [cited 2021 Oct 17]. Available from https://www.medcalc.

org/calc/odds_ratio.php

Gupta P, Mohanty A, Narula H, Singh V, Kalita D, Varshney S, Kabi A, Aggarwal P. Concise information

for the frontline health care workers in the era of COVID-19. Indian J Community Health. 2020;32(2_

Supp):215-25. [Google Scholar]

Huang C, Wang Y, Li X, Ren L, Zhao J, Hu Y, Zhang L, Fan G, Xu J, Gu X, Cheng Z, Yu T, Xia J, Wei Y, Wu

W, Xie X, Yin W, Li H, Liu M, Xiao Y, Gao H, Guo L, Xie J, Wang G, Jiang R, Gao Z, Jin Q, Wang J, Cao B.

Clinical features of patients infected with 2019 novel coronavirus in Wuhan, China. Lancet [Internet]. 2020

[cited 2021 Oct 19];395(10223):497-506. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31986264/

[PubMed] [Google Scholar]

World Health Organization [Internet]. Origin of SARS-CoV-2; 2020 Mar 26 [cited 2021 Oct 19].

Available from https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/ handle/10665/332197/WHO-2019-nCoV-FAQ-Virus_

origin-2020.1-eng.pdf