Many of you will have read with horror the headlines and graphic photos of the recent explosion of COV 19 cases and mutations in India. One of my friends , who moved from India to Bahrain 6 months ago, we will call him "Max" to protect his identity, recently tested positive for Cov 19. He caught it at work and it was detected by a random rapid test on 50 employees and confirmed by PCR test the next day. He was rushed into quarantine in a local hotel, sharing a room with another employee.
I asked him to share his story- I hope you find it of interest:
"Hi, my name is Max and I was living in India but in came into Bahrain for my first job outside of India . Soon after I arrived Bahrain was hit by a second wave of the global pandemic, COV 19. I was impressed by he way the wise Leadership contained the pandemic by closing the causeway to Saudi Arabia. Compared to my home, India, Bahrain has a relatively small population. India has a population of 1,395, 570, 000 people where in Bahrain the population is just 1,749,737! In Bahrain they have tested 4,094,494 people and I am one of 10,360 cases who have tested positive for COV 19. So far in Bahrain there have been 646 deaths and a mass vaccination programme is underway with 541,747 ( 25%) people having both doses of the vaccine.
People who have died of COV 19 being burnt in India
Sadly in India the situation is out of control where 147,727,054 vaccine doses have been given, but that is only 1 % of the population and worst of all
208,000 people are dead.
The crowded streets of India make Lockdown impractical
When I arrived in Bahrain I was quarantined for 14 days and when my results became negative I was allowed to work in my new company.
Months passed and I was very aware of the COV 19 situation with so many people testing positive in recent weeks at my company. As a Supervisor I was appointed to collect details of the workers and set up remedial measures to avoid further spread of the disease amongst my colleagues and keep our operation running.
We insisted everyone wear hand gloves ,double face masks , always carry Himalayas hand sanitizer and so on. We registered for vaccination and many of us had our first dose a week ago at Sitra Mall.
In spite of all the precautions and having the first dose of the vaccine, along with many colleagues at work one day I got a little bit of cold at night . The next morning immediately I informed to the medical team and they included me in a random sample of 50 employees having the rapid test. The results came in 5 mins after the test. I was very nervous, like a father waiting outside the hospital door during the delivery of his first child!
When the results came I was totally surprised to find they were positive, which I never expected. I called 444 and booked an appointment that same day for PCR test to reconfirm it and the results came in night as positive as well.
I was seriously upset because I was in charge of controlling COV 19 in my work place and then I got COV 19. Worst still my co workers started to see me as evil and untouchable sin person. I felt so bad but resolved to be strong.
I did not want my family back in India to know that I had COV 19 as they already were going through a bad phase in my hometown. In India the situation had become very bad and people were dying due to lack of oxygen . There are more
and more patients admitted there every day and sadly the hospitals and doctors cannot handle it. 3.5 lakh positive cases per day in India! My family closed their shop and stayed inside their home and survived and helped their neighborhood.
I really wanted to go back India and help my family and city at this difficult time but all flights from Bahrain to India were stopped. I felt so helpless here in Bahrain and decided to donate 40% of my small salary to buy a few oxygen cylinders for my local hospital back home which I heard saved a few peoples lives.
When I had my positive PCR test I was quarantined in a hotel in Bahrain and the company asked me to pay half of the cost ( 15 bd a night) . Unfortunately as I have only been here 4 months I won't get paid for my quarantine period. However they did send a doctor on the second day to check our temperature and see if everything was ok.
It has been a hard time for myself and my family. Thankfully a friend brought me a bag of sweets and snacks to the hotel on my first day and a book to read and some food items I had asked him for on my third day. I have tried to keep myself occupied talking to my parents daily, doing an exercise routine and writing this blog.
I have set myself a weight loss target of 3 kg over the next 16 days and I am keeping a record my daily exercise and weight measurement to ensure I stay on track.
On the second day we rearranged our room at the hotel so we had a room each. The Bahrain Government have only 3 approved places for people who are positive in the PRP test - Taj hotel, Andulas Plaza where they charge 30 bd per person per night sharing a room. Our company will pay half so I have to pay 15 bd a night for my Quarantine. This is because I have only been working there for 6 months.
A typical dinner at the hotel, dry and tasteless
The hotel provides food ( but its not very nice) served in take away containers in the room. However the hotel room is good and clean.
On the second day I got really bored so to keep my mind active after breakfast I talked with my family and friends but then I had a lot of time left . I wanted to use the time wisely but I was not sure what to do!
I felt like a rich prisoner! When I was a kid I thought I could live with only my phone , Wi-Fi, TV ,and food.
This quarantine has proved me wrong. It will be good for one or two days or maximum of a week but then after I cannot see how I can survive without human interaction, caged in my room like a pacing Lion.
So I realise I need to set myself targets which will keep me moving forward day to day. Then I will have something to focus on achieving ...instead of living a blank target less life. After all you would not bowl a cricket ball without a wicket to aim at would you!
I will keep you updated as time goes on.....
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Hello, I am The British Kabayan! Feel free to read my stories.
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