*Learning to live with Covid-19 for a while is new reality
As the wait for an effective cure as well as a vaccine continues, it’s becoming clearer that people will have to live with the new reality of Covid-19 for a while – a number of physicians have reiterated. This means gradually resuming normal activities as far as possible while continuing to strictly abide by the precautionary and preventive measures specified by the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH).
The physicians told local Arabic daily Arrayah recently that people should consider Covid-19 as a seasonal viral disease, such as influenza and others, while keeping in mind it has no specific effective treatment yet. They stressed that it is inevitable that people have to get used to the new situation and coexist with the disease while following all the necessary precautions to protect themselves and others.
Dr Ismail Mubarak, consultant pulmonologist at Al Emadi Hospital, said it is important to avoid fear and anxiety while resuming normal life as well as to view the precautionary measures as normal everyday practices. He noted that the effective implementations of these measures have contributed greatly to containing the spread of the disease.
Further, he said people have to monitor their health status and contact the health authorities concerned for help as soon as they observe any of the known symptoms of Covid-19 to avoid any possible complications.
Prof Ibrahim Janahi, chair of Medical Education, designated institutional officer and the division chief of Pulmonology at Sidra Medicine, said life has to go on but in a way that guarantees the protection, health and safety of all. This means abiding by the MoPH’s recommendations in this regard, such as wearing face masks, keeping adequate distance from others, frequently washing hands and avoiding physical contact like shaking hands, hugging and kissing, and adapting to the new way of life in general.
So, people should gradually go back to their normal life but it would still be different from what they were used to earlier. They should be very careful about abiding by the precautionary measures until the pandemic is over, or some effective vaccine and treatment are discovered and become available for all.
Dr Abdul Salam al-Qahtani, ear, nose and throat (ENT) consultant and head of the ENT Department at Hamad Medical Corporation, stressed that it has become necessary to coexist with the new reality of Covid-19 and resume life as usual while abiding by all regulations and recommendations of the MoPH and not abandoning them until the pandemic is completely over.
He said it is important to go back to one’s normal life gradually amid the continued efforts to spread public awareness on related issues. He also pointed out it is easy to avoid contracting Covid-19 when people abide by the prescribed measures.
The physicians told local Arabic daily Arrayah recently that people should consider Covid-19 as a seasonal viral disease, such as influenza and others, while keeping in mind it has no specific effective treatment yet. They stressed that it is inevitable that people have to get used to the new situation and coexist with the disease while following all the necessary precautions to protect themselves and others.
Dr Ismail Mubarak, consultant pulmonologist at Al Emadi Hospital, said it is important to avoid fear and anxiety while resuming normal life as well as to view the precautionary measures as normal everyday practices. He noted that the effective implementations of these measures have contributed greatly to containing the spread of the disease.
Further, he said people have to monitor their health status and contact the health authorities concerned for help as soon as they observe any of the known symptoms of Covid-19 to avoid any possible complications.
Prof Ibrahim Janahi, chair of Medical Education, designated institutional officer and the division chief of Pulmonology at Sidra Medicine, said life has to go on but in a way that guarantees the protection, health and safety of all. This means abiding by the MoPH’s recommendations in this regard, such as wearing face masks, keeping adequate distance from others, frequently washing hands and avoiding physical contact like shaking hands, hugging and kissing, and adapting to the new way of life in general.
So, people should gradually go back to their normal life but it would still be different from what they were used to earlier. They should be very careful about abiding by the precautionary measures until the pandemic is over, or some effective vaccine and treatment are discovered and become available for all.
Dr Abdul Salam al-Qahtani, ear, nose and throat (ENT) consultant and head of the ENT Department at Hamad Medical Corporation, stressed that it has become necessary to coexist with the new reality of Covid-19 and resume life as usual while abiding by all regulations and recommendations of the MoPH and not abandoning them until the pandemic is completely over.
He said it is important to go back to one’s normal life gradually amid the continued efforts to spread public awareness on related issues. He also pointed out it is easy to avoid contracting Covid-19 when people abide by the prescribed measures.
