BHOPAL: Covid19 panic has gripped the city. Many educational institutions have been shut down. Nearly 80% of those who planned to enjoy the summer vacations abroad and other places in the country had to cancel their tours.
Soon after The World Health Organisation (WHO) officially declared it pandemic, citizens are under so much threat that even a common seasonal cough and cold has forced them to go to doctors.
The number of people, suffering from cold and visiting hospitals, has gone up 400 each day. It has buckled business in the city too. Against this backdrop, Free Press has spoken to psychologists, doctors, tour operators and those who have cancelled their tours. The aim was to know how to control the storm and bring Covid19 to the heel.
A student of MANIT Sandeep Kumar who visited JP Hospital in Bhopal on Friday said, “I am suffering from cold. I have just come from Delhi. So, as a precaution, I have come to the hospital for corona test.”
“My wife and I were going to Maldives for honeymoon from April 14 to 17. But we cancelled tickets due to Covid 19. We booked tickets two months back,” an engineer Vaibhav Gupta said.
“My son has been suffering from cough and cold for long time. But I have not taken him to any hospital, fearing of isolation,” said a businessman.
Around 400 patients of cough and cold are visiting JP hospital daily. And we are not keeping all these patients in isolation ward. We only keep patients found positive in isolation ward. There is also a facility of home isolation. So, no need to panic. Everyone can’t be affected from Corona virus. Normal, cough and cold also occur due to virus. The chances of corona virus increases among those patients who have travel history and suffered from cold and cough. Around four or five such patients came to us till now but none of them were kept in isolation ward. WHO declared it pandemic to make people aware about corona virus.
- Alka Pargania, civil surgeon, Bhopal
Around 80% people in the city have cancelled their foreign trips including Dubai, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia due to the fear of corona virus. These tickets were booked for summer vacations in March and April. Some of them rescheduled their tours. They are waiting for May. Our business is down by 70 %. Haal Behal hai…
- Girish Kesarwani, owner, Om Tours & Travels
It happens due to collective consciousness factor. People started thinking like this if any panic is created by media and other resources. Actually it is all about mass psychology. I think, media, especially electronic should control or avoid showing unscientific things which creates panic.
-Dr. Rahul Sharma, psychologist
A Holi Milan Samaroh to be held at MVM College on March 15 and a summer camp for children to be held at Tatya Tope Stadium from April 15 have been cancelled. Staffs of the stadium were advised to avoid using biometric machine and to use register for attendance. A Civil Services All India hockey tournament, tennis and cricket tournaments have also been cancelled.
