# RKS: THE ‘MEDICALLY’ OVER-INFORMED LAYMAN - A Blessing From COVID-19!

 

# RKS: THE ‘MEDICALLY’ OVER-INFORMED LAYMAN

-
A Blessing From COVID-19!



1st September 2021


THE LAYMAN CHALLENGES THE DOCTOR ON HIS OWN PLAYGROUND!

Dear Reader,

The coronavirus pandemic has brought about a sea change in news reporting pattern and also an unhealthy conversion of an ordinary citizen from bring engrossed in work, family affairs and seeking pleasures in travel and food to a quasi-scientific individual who discusses symptoms of coronavirus, ranks vaccines, questions SARS-CoV-2 [alias novel coronavirus (nCoV)] treatment and even dictates preventive and management measures for COVID-19 amongst relatives, friends even though they may be non-doctors! Let alone he / she may be blissfully unaware of even the basic difference between coronavirus and COVID-19 terminologies' meanings!


COVID-19: THE CURRENT IN LIMELIGHT

Ten percent (10%) of the current deemed fake messages are either related to nCoV or to COVID-19 pandemic or to preventive vaccines for the same. The following, exclusively pertaining to coronavirus (and related), are from a list of 100 enlisted fake messages.
  1. Claim:  A viral post claiming coronavirus is found in tissue paper has been doing rounds for quite some time now.
  2. Claim:  If you can hold your breath for 10 seconds, without coughing or difficulty in breathing, it indicates absence of COVID-19 infection.
  3. Claim:  Constant sex kills coronavirus.
  4. Claim:  Breathing in hot air from a sauna or hairdryer can kill the novel coronavirus.
  5. Claim:  No vegetarian has been affected by coronavirus because it requires animal fat in the body to survive. 
  6. Claim:  Everyone should ensure their mouth and throat are moist, never dry by taking few sips of water every 15 minutes at least. This will push the virus from mouth into the stomach wherein the acid present will kill all the coronaviruses.
  7. Claim:  Advise to people to wear surgical masks in reverse to make them fully effective.
  8. Claim:  WhatsApp is flooded with claims that Dettol and Lysol can kill coronavirus.
  9. Claim:  Coronavirus lives on the hands for 10 minutes, so putting a sanitiser in the pocket meets the purpose of prevention.
  10. Claim:  There was never a COVID-19!!! Read this! Coronavirus is fake!

Imagine one of the messages: 'Constant sex kills coronavirus' and how this could impact minds and thought implications of those believers of WhatsApp having avid gullibility!


COVID-19: THE BIRTH OF MEDICALLY-ORIENTED LAYMAN

In the history of mankind the ten most deadly pandemics listed, in chronological order of causative mortality, are as follows:

  1. Smallpox Pandemic (1877-1977): 500 million estimated deaths
  2. Black Death Plague (1347-1351): 75-200 million estimated deaths
  3. Spanish Flu Pandemic (1918-1919): 17-100 million estimated deaths
  4. HIV/AIDS Pandemic (1981-present): 32 million estimate deaths
  5. Plague of Justinian (541-542): 25-100 million estimated deaths
  6. Third Plague Pandemic (1855-1960): 15 million estimated deaths
  7. COVID-19 Pandemic (2019-present): 4-9 million estimated deaths 
  8. Antonine Plague (165 AD): 5 million estimated deaths 
  9. Asian / Hong Kong Flu Pandemic (1956-1958 / 1968-1970): 1-2 million estimated deaths
  10. Third Cholera Pandemic (1852-1860): 1 million estimated deaths

The current generation has been exposed to thus 3 pandemics that could be classified as: 
  1. Infections: Smallpox & Cholera
  2. Flu Pandemics: Asian / Hong Kong Flu & COVID-19
  3. Sexual Contact: HIV/AIDS

All of these mentioned have been decimated by way of effective drugs (for smallpox it is an effective vaccine) barring COVID-19 for which there is neither a failproof drug to cure nor a 100% assuring vaccine to prevent! Since the pharma giants have thus far failed to deliver and doctors find themselves weaponless, one cannot blame the layman in best trying to carve a path of safety during the COVID-19 pandemic because of the survival instinct present in all of us. But therein lies the flaw. 

Sans basic medical knowledge, the layman is yet emphatic with doctors to the extent of challenging the need for hospitalisation, drug therapies and necessity for oxygen. One cannot blame entirely the layman. The Government Health Ministry issues dictate on COVID-19 to all and sundry, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) repeatedly broadcasts its changing guidelines, the press may have 30-60% of its published content devoted to the virus, and many leading doctors take pride in airing their opinions regarding the SARS-CoV-2 in various media. Most baffling is the popular News Channels program hosting even hour long discussions for days and months together on matters pertaining to the pandemic. In order to garner TRPs A-V (audio-visual) media invite the top brass in the field of medicine, irrespective whether it is their specialty or not in managing COVID-19 – how can the views of cardiologists, diabetologists, endocrinologists, and such other specialities be allowed to be proclaimed to the masses of India regarding a disease that primarily affects the lungs and airway passages!! What more can be misleading!

Being bombarded with nCoV-2 and COVID-19 related news day after day from all fronts – press, TV, social media and whatnot the layman would definitely feel enough knowledge empowered to deduce his / her own reading of the pandemic. Misleading has become the norm in the COVID-19 pandemic times, and the thereby mislead innocent bystander laymen accordingly builds and concludes based on his own perceptions.  


BE WARY!

The Medical Professionals have been caught off-guard with respect to this new change in patient approach based out of 'idée fixe' - determining what to concur and accept from Medical Doctor by way of medical advice and treatment measures! Not surprisingly, the medical professionals could have invariably found themselves all at sea whilst discussing on health-related topics with non-medicos, let alone COVID-19 related, and usually it is a losing proposition to try educate this new breeding mindset town & city-dwellers!

After seeing hordes of hospitalised patients in critical state of health, even paucity in beds, oxygen and life-saving drugs, and queuing in morgues it is alarming that 40% of surveyed population believe COVID-19 is no better than an ordinary flu, and another 25% proclaim that the current ongoing coronavirus pandemic is a hoax!

The new ‘enlightened’ patient will now see a guardedly advising doctor. 56% of people put their trust in science in 2020 vs 44% 2 years ago; however, science scepticism has grown from 29% over the years to a current of 35%! The pandemic, the debatable efficacy of vaccines and morbidity and mortality in near and dear ones on account of COVID-19 pandemic being responsible factors.

If patients are wary of doctors so are the doctors wary of patients.
 

TAKE HOME MESSAGE

It seems that the old adage: ‘Silence is golden’ is apt here. No point in educating relatives, friends and even patients. If a sincere attempt in guiding does not bear fruits or is met with positivity and an open mind, the disconcerning breed are best left in the Hands of God, given their own wisdom, and perceived faith and beliefs in medicine and the Medical Profession.

God save the King! God save the Queen!



DR R K SANGHAVI

Prophesied Enabler

Experience & Expertise: Clinician & Healthcare Industry Adviser




Location: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

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