E-Paper
Covid-19 in Kashmir: Mother stuck by minor daughters’ side till recovery
Now both cured and home, the girls had contracted coronavirus from their grandfather, who had returned from Saudi Arabia in March.
When Zahra’s (name changed) two daughters, aged 4 and 7 years, were tested positive for Covid-19 last month and put in isolation, she vowed to not leave their side till full recovery.
During quarantine at the hospital, when the girls started asking her mother why she was maintaining physical distance with them, the mother convinced them saying it was her who was ill and needed to take precautions, while pointing towards her personal protection equipment set.
“I knew there was high risk of getting infected myself, but how could have I left them alone? All I wanted was to take care of my children, give them clean food, hot water, maintain their hygiene and leave the rest to God,” said the 32-year-old mother.
Throughout the isolation period, the girls’ father was in a different hospital tending to his dad, who had initially tested positive for the disease.
Now both cured and home, the girls had contracted coronavirus from their grandfather, who had returned from Saudi Arabia in March. Except the three, no other family members have contracted the infection.
Zahra, a homemaker from uptown Srinagar, said the news of the three testing positive devastated the whole family. “It is now we know that people can recover as well, but three weeks ago we knew the disease was nothing but fatal,” she said.
The 21 days of quarantine with her daughters in the hospital was a life-changing experience for Zahra. Though in same room, she kept distance from her children, wore protective suit day and night, and maintained constant hygiene. “My children would ask me to hug them, sleep beside them, but I would tell them that I was sick and needed to avoid contact. The younger one was difficult to pacify at times,” she recollected, adding that she would weep at times, but hide it from the kids.
The girls’ tests came negative for fifth times and were discharged on April 13.
