04 Jun 2020  |   03:50am IST

When the stigma mutates faster than the virus

The spread of the virus has been bad enough but now there are reports of COVID patients facing social stigma. In fact, when Herald did a path-breaking story of the doctors at the COVID hospital in Margao and their close relationship with COVID patients, the biggest concern that cured patients had was the possibility of facing social stigma. What should Goans instead be doing to help patients recovery be complete? Cafe spoke to a few people to gather their thoughts on this issue

Ajit John;

Years ago it was AIDS with the stigma and the name-calling that surrounded patients. The shadow of "unclean" living surrounded patients and exerted even more pressure. Over a period of time, advances in medication helped increase life spans, and attitudes gradually evolved over a period of time. But sadly every new pandemic or crisis gives rise to such coarse attitudes. While we haven’t quite been privy to these incidents in public, the feedback from a couple of patients at the COVID hospital is reason enough to raise the red flag, especially with the outbreak of COVID cases in Mangor Hill Vasco       


People have to understand that COVID 19 can come in contact with anyone and it is not the fault of the patient.  You have to treat others the way you want to be treated. If this is happening in Goa, it is sad and very disturbing- Sabina Martins, Social activist  


People treating Covid-19 patients with unfair social stigma are believers in the caste system or racism. Covid-19 is just like flu or common cold and more than 98% of the people recover from Covid-19. Attaching a stigma to any patient is bad and those engaging in casting a stigma on others should be  fined and punished- Bharat Kamath, Entrepreneur Vasco

The recent cases of COVID 19 cases from Mungor hill have shaken the entire Goan society. Such reactions of alienation are bound to happen as each one loves his life and dear ones. I have my friend avoiding to even travel to places like Vasco or Verna where most cases have come to light. However we must not ostracise our COVID warriors like the Goa Police, doctors, nurses, and paramedical staff as they are the heroes because of whom we are safe today- Sidharth Mehta, Navelim Business

 

 

This kind of behavior is not acceptable. People have to understand that these patients are also people like them. How would they like to be treated, if they contracted the virus? Tomorrow they could be in the same boat. We have some control over the spread of the virus but now this. Please stop-

 Dr Shekhar Salkar, Senior Oncologist

It is extremely unfortunate that people are behaving like this. They have to be treated like normal people. Once you are cured, you are cured. It is a sad state of affairs that we as human beings have come down to this.  Treat them as normal people, it is unfortunate if this is happening or happens in the future- Jack Sukhija, Hotelier and Heritage activist




The reaction we see today reminds me of similar fear which the public had of AIDS, many years back – a case in Goa, way back in Feb 1989, where the first known HIV+ person from Parra, Bardez, was handcuffed and whisked away from his house to be incarcerated for almost 64 days, only to be ordered to be released by the High Court.
Sadly, in Goa, mostly due to these factors, people have started ostracising those identified in rapid test to be Covid-19 +ve (not even finally tested positive) to the extent that the housing societies and localities where they are found to be residing, are up in arms – demanding their removal from their own houses and also keeping away from them and their family members with fear of the susceptibility of repetition of the virus of such person initially identified in the rapid test or even after recovery from the illness.
This stigma causes people to hide the illness or feign other illnesses until it is too critical; prevent approaching the hospital and medical doctors, attempting to take “home remedies”. This is equally dangerous- Adv Carlos Alvares Ferreira, Former Advocate General

The society will obviously alienate such people as the virus is such that nobody wants to take any chances. People have started to avoid travel to Vasco shows that the scare is real and affected the minds of the people at large- Shubham Talekar, Canacona Self Employed

 

 

Most of the people who catch COVID-19 can recover and eliminate the virus from their bodies. Family members and friends of the patients need to reach out to them in isolation. We should cheer them through either funny memes or GIFs or video chat. They should make sure that patients feel less alone and have social support. This is the way a helping hand can be given to the patients. We should assist to stop the fear and abuse by educating people and correcting racist comments or behavior when we hear or see them- 

Shivanand Pandit, Margao Goa, Financial Advisor, Tax specialist, Public speaker, Author

 

It is sad that people are reacting to cured patients like they are untouchables. One fact we must realise is that we have to live our lives with the co-existence of Corona just the way we have been living with other diseases  like HIV

 - Shubham Faldessai, Quepem self-employed