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UAE doctors: Follow Covid-safe lifestyle; virus may be around for a while

Dubai - Health professionals said people cannot afford to become complacent as it can have severe implications.

With the UAE apparently bending the Covid curve, doctors have warned against complacency and urged residents to continue following a Covid appropriate lifestyle at least for some more time.

This comes on the heels of a statement by Dr David Nabarro, special envoy as the World Health Organisation (WHO), who said that “people will have to learn to live with the disease. Eradication is not currently a reasonable target for the world. Each time there is a sudden surge, it does stimulate in one’s mind the thought that there might be a new variant appearing. That wouldn’t be surprising.”

Dr Shahriyar Azad Specialist ENT, Prime Medical Center Barsha Heights, agrees. “It is a proven fact that pandemics come in waves.”

He adds, “there are peaks and troughs and the same holds true for the Covid-19 pandemic. We have to accept and adapt to a ‘Covid appropriate lifestyle’ for at least some time to come.”

Health professionals said people cannot afford to become complacent as it can have severe implications. “Covid-appropriate lifestyle simply means getting vaccinated (as per protocols set by authorities), wearing masks, proper social-distancing and hand washing and most importantly avoiding denial. If someone has symptoms he or she should immediately take medical help, isolate or get tested.”

They say “testing and tracing” has also proven to be a vital tool to contain the disease.

Even after being fully-vaccinated, people should continue to watch out for Covid-19 symptoms such as fever, cough, runny nose, headache, loss of smell and taste, fatigue and body ache, especially if someone around has been sick.

“There is a need to adhere to proper mask use and physical distancing measures,” says Dr Prashant C.K., Specialist Internal Medicine, Aster Clinic, Ajman.

He says people should also include physical activities into everyday routines to boost immunity. “This includes an active lifestyle, a well-balanced diet and control of chronic medical conditions.”

Speaking about herd immunity through vaccination, Dr Ponnusamy Tamilvendan, Specialist Internal Medicine, Medeor Hospital, Dubai, said: “Herd immunity is a moving target as new variants emerge. Strict restrictions like lockdowns and closure of schools can be temporary and targeted at specific areas. Getting the vaccine, undergoing regular tests and cooperating with contact tracing is also part of the new normal.”

Dr Zulaikha Elsheikh Babiker, Specialist Family medicine, Medcare Medical Centre-Al Rashidiya, says, “I have seen that when the public follows precautionary measures, the number of cases decrease remarkably. Then after a festive occasion such as New Year or Eid, the surge begins. This is not necessarily due to new variants, but mostly due to the fact that people do not adhere to safety protocols while they are in a celebratory mood.”

nandini@khaleejtimes.com