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COVID-19 Pandemic Perspectives India (Tushya Mehta) The perspective that this page is exploring is the perspective of the largest democracy of the world- India. It is also the second-most populous country in the world and so understanding how the nation is dealing with this crisis is crucial. The country is another giant like China where things could go very wrong and according to WHO may direct the future of this pandemic. I am exploring what the citizens are feeling and how they are responding to the pandemic. I have studied the Prime Minister’s speech on the nationwide lockdown to understand the action being taken., I used media/journalistic sources from TIME and NewYorker to see how the governments decisions are impacting the people. Using previous Public health studies I tried to understand why the decisions being taker are necessary and how prepared India actually is?

to have coronavirus

This page is referenced by:

People Diagnosed With COVID-19 (Abhigya Khanal)
Fact-Checked Source: Vox.com, "Friends and family leave everything I need on my doorstep."
Vox, a liberal-leaning American news and opinion website, posted an article on March, 28, 2020 titled, 5 people on what it feels like to have Covid-19 by Michael Waters.

Looking Deeper: Five Facts Checked
I researched five facts on people's perspective that were diagnosed with COVID-19 to understand them better.

“As a healthcare provider, I felt this weird moral failure of how did this happen to me? and what did I do wrong to get infected?’’
Laura essentially felt as if her COVID-19 diagnosis was caused by her inadequate measures to protect herself. Being a health care worker added unnecessary pressure. The CDC states that health care professionals should check their fever twice a day and remain alert for any signs of COVID-19.

“You feel like your lungs are going to explode.”
Mike, a 57-year-old IT worker based in NewYork was severely affected by the virus He recounts that symptoms of COVID-19 were unlike anything he had previously felt and that he felt immense pain. The CDC lists persistent chest pain as one of the many symptoms of COVID-19.

“ I was sleeping 10,11 hours a night, no problem.”
Chuck Armstrong a 38 a year tech worker and theater producer from NewYork recounts that he felt physically exhausted after being diagnosed with the virus. The CDC states that its important to stay hydrated and to rest during recovery.

“ There’s no one to ask questions to because nobody knows any answers. Just hoping tomorrow will be better.”
There is no cure for COVID-19 only treatments, and that can be a terrifying situation to be in if you have underlying medical issues. Tina, a 52-year old mom, discusses this in her account. The information for symptoms and as well as preventive measures are constantly changing on the CDC website, and there is no vaccine or cure for the virus

“My doctor said that there was not much I could do and that I just needed to stay home because testing was very limited and a positive test wouldn’t make a difference anyway.”
Luis Mancheno, 33, an immigration attorney in Brooklyn was told that staying home was the best course of action. The CDC recommends contacting a health care provider and staying at home if you exhibit mild signs of the virus.

Analytic Essay
What If Feels Like to Be Diagnosed With COVID-19
Millions of people around the world have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and that number will likely continue to rise. Due to a large number of cases of COVID-19 and the possibility of it being a fatal disease to some people, it's not surprising that people are currently paranoid of getting or passing on the disease. I want to explore my essay from the view of someone that has been diagnosed with COVID-19 and explore how the virus and quarantine restrictions affect both their physical and mental health.

It can be difficult when everyone in the household is affected by COVID-19. In the article titled, My whole family has COVID-19, Deborah Copaken recounts her diagnoses with COVID-19 as well as the quarantine restrictions that have affected herself and her household. Copaken states that she started feeling unwell during a bike ride through NewYork city, she and her partner rushed back to her apartment. There she discovered that she had a 99-degree fever. She recounts the physical discomfort she felt during the time that she was infected. She describes having a high fever, losing her sense of smell and taste, and constantly coughing. She also describes how she and her partner have isolated themselves in different rooms to prevent contracting each other’s germs. She also describes how the quarantine restriction has affected her children. Her youngest son is unable to go to school and her oldest daughter who was volunteering at Cameroon had to leave early because of quarantine restrictions. She misses her children and also wants to reunite with them, but is scared that she might pass the virus to them as well. “The thought of simply breathing in and out without coughing and reuniting with my children ... is goal enough. To—literally—live and let live will be enough.” In Copaken's account, it is apparent that COVID-19, as well as restrictions from the quarantine, affects more than a person’s physical health. It can cause strain on someone’s financial as well as mental problems.

The journal article published by Lancelet, titled Patients with mental health disorders in the COVID-19 epidemic, explores how people with mental health disorders are more likely to be affected by the pandemic. The pandemic has disrupted the mental health of many individuals, because of quarantine restrictions, individuals are more likely to suffer from feelings of loneliness and depression. These feelings can be apparent in people who are self-isolating because of a COVID-19 diagnosis The article stresses that people with mental health conditions are more likely to get the virus than those who don’t have pre-existing health conditions. “People with mental disorders can be exposed to more barriers in accessing timely health services, because of discrimination associated with mental ill-health in health-care settings.” There’s often a stigma placed on mental health patients and the quarantine can further create a barrier and affect the accessibility fo those trying to seek support for their mental and physical health. If someone with a serious pre-existing mental health condition claim that they have COVID-19, they might not be taken as seriously as someone who doesn't suffer from pre-existing mental health conditions. This can worsen both their physical health if they don’t take measures to treat the symptoms of the disease, and this can also lead to the further spread of the disease.

Something that came up in all five accounts of my prospective source and as well as Deborah Copaken’s account was the feeling of uncertainty. COVID-19 virus is a new virus so there isn’t a substantial amount of research done on it. The symptoms, as well as the time that it takes to recover from the virus, can be susceptible to change as more and more people get diagnosed. Lacking information can cause people to worry and feel uncertain. The virus can also lead to feelings of depression and loneliness as we are unable to connect with other people during this time Another thing that was common in these accounts was the hospital’s reluctance to test or admit patients unless it was absolutely necessary, due to a large number of outbreaks and the limited amount of supplies.

References
APA-6th Frequently Asked Questions. (2020, March 28). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/faq.html
This source provides information on COVID-19. The CDC stands for the center for disease control and prevention. This source is useful as background information because has statics and about who is likely to be infected with the virus. It also has information about who is more likely to acquire serious symptoms of COVID-19, and what the best course of action is if someone is diagnosed with COVID-19. This source used to check the five facts.

Retrieved March 30, 2020, from https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpsy/article/PIIS2215-0366(20)30090-0/fulltext#
This article talks about how people who are suffering from mental health conditions are more susceptible to get COVID-19 and can be denied proper care if they show symptoms of COVID-19. This article also discusses that people with pre-existing mental health conditions are more likely to suffer from feelings of loneliness and depression during times of quarantine.

Waters, M. (2020, March 28). 5 people on what it feels like to have Covid-19. Retrieved from https://www.vox.com/first-person/2020/3/28/21197480/coronavirus-symptoms-covid-19
This source provides good evidence because it gives a first-hand account of those infected by the virus. It gives the accounts of five people who are infected with the virus. These people describe their symptoms as well as the uncertainty and fear that they are faced with during the pandemic.

Chopaken(2020, March 28). My Whole Household Has COVID-19. Retrieved from https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2020/03/my-whole-household-has-covid-19/608902
The author of this article describes her personal account of COVID-19. Everyone in her household had gotten the virus, and she describes some of the challenges and observations that she had during the time that she had COVID-19.