Road To Recovery: 'I Was Homesick As People Were Suddenly Afraid Of Me': Akanksha On COVID-19 Isolation

Akanksha Rana, a 21-year-old Architecture student was interning at an architectural firm in Vasant Vihar, New Delhi in last month when she contracted the COVID-19 virus. She had been living as a tenant away from home in Dehradun when she had to isolate herself from her 90-year-old landlady for home quarantine.

Accounting the details of her quarantine, Akanksha explained how she was more afraid for her landlady than her own health.

"She is a 90-year-old lady, although she had been vaccinated it gnawed on me the entire time that if she would get COVID-19, it will be fatal. So, I had to be constantly careful and lock myself inside my room for three weeks. "she said.

Akanksha's maid upon learning her condition left the job. She had to manage her food alone in the lockdown. She was encouraged to book a tiffin service instead. She also managed to purchase her medicines through online shopping.

She narrated how she felt like an outcast and people treated her differently.

"I was homesick and had this urgency to be at home because of the way people were suddenly so afraid of me, my own landlady was concerned that people will avoid them and not pay visits anymore," Akanksha said.

She was confined within the space of four walls which impacted her mentally.

"I had lost my appetite and I craved for human interaction, I made sure I was frequently on call with my friends and family," she expressed.

In order to cope up with the isolation, she suggests that one should keep themselves busy and active at all times. She had developed a routine that she followed every day to not succumb to loneliness

"Prepare yourself with optimism, half the battle is won if you are mentally strong and think positively. Do not unnecessarily overthink but try to talk to as many as people you can" she advised.

"Take medicines as per the symptoms. If a person is ailing with a headache they should only take medicine for the headache instead of swallowing all sets of pills. Ensure that you are hydrated and eating nutritious food to energize your fighting body. Avoid junk from outside and everything would be fine, "she assured.

Post recovery she feels blessed to have defeated the virus. She shared that she has a new appreciation for the small joys of life be it feeling the warmth of sunlight or fresh air stroking her. Akanksha is an example of one of many stranded people living alone who had to combat the virus in a lockdown on their own.

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