My Story of Home Quarantine for 14 days

My motive in this article for my readers to not scare you about the COVID-19 any more, instead, I am trying to explain my experience about Home Quarantine in my state after returning from another COVID-19 hot spot country.

I and my wife were super excited to have our first foreign trip to Singapore which was scheduled from 9th March to 15th March. To keep the charm of suspense for our kids, we kept it secret from them. We informed the kids only at Airport (Sri Guru Ramdas International Airport, Amritsar) before takeoff. They were totally amazed and happy.

Facts about dates

• 31 Dec 2019 — The first mortality occurred at Wuhan, China.
• 12 Mar 2020 — The first mortality occurred in India.

There was no much hype or much talk here in India before leaving India. Although I took along with me all essential medicines for us, some surgical masks and N95 masks too for each of us one. Also as I am working with Singapore guys for the last many years, I asked my colleague there before one week “Is that any final instructions for me as you know I am coming next week”. He said all good and just wash your hands frequently. We abide by this instruction religiously, where ever we visited and go rather its Hotel Elevator, Grab car, Sightseeing, Amusement park, elevators, cable car we sanitize our hands and wherever get chance to wash our hands we did. All went well during our 6 days stay in Singapore, we enjoyed well.

I was already following the news in India about the COVID pandemic. The news was coming that for certain countries like Malaysia, Italy, Iran my country closed the borders and temporarily suspend the flights from them. I was a little perturbed then at that time. Luckily my flight carrier Scoot was flying with no difficulty while returning back to home, Flight attendants distributed Self Declaration form while onboard. We filled a total of 8 forms, 2 for each. One form goes to the Health Department and the other goes to Cops which I come to know later. We reached back to our home safely.

During our visit to the local Sikh Temple in Singapore, We come to know about further details of coronavirus like:

1. No need to cover the mouth unless you are sick, coughing or cold. (Pssst. now it's not correct, you have to cover your mouth if you going outside)
2. The symptoms related to disease emerges from 2 to 14 days (That's why I realized 14 days quarantine is so much important)

After returning back to home, we already heeded my in-laws and neighbors about our 14 day Quarantine period and also explained about its importance, in first thought they disregard it, but soon they understood it after news of pandemic shake out all around.

1st Week (16–22 March):

During the first week, I just went out for one time only to get daily essential commodities for home and with very precaution like covered my nose and mouth, didn’t touch directly to anything, washed hands properly after coming to the home. As scare of pandemic already emerged in my city too. My neighbors too get anxious about our presence because we are foreign travelers who visited hot spot countries recently and we may carry virus along.

Add to this, WhatsApp messages rolled out with scary messages about COVID. One of my friends asked me to get a test, I was a bit surprised with reactions that We as a family are healthy, fit and asymptomatic, so we don’t need any test. And also I read news also that PCR kits to test is around 3,00,000 for 1.3 billion people, it's already limited and government priority is to test symptomatic patients only.

As I live in a so-called crowded colony where all houses are very near, even we can talk to many neighbors by just standing into our balcony. Many near neighbors are even annoyed with us, lol. It can be judged easily from their faces, some even didn't talk to us.

I understand all their thoughts. Its perspective. May be if I were in their place, I may react that way too.

There was panic all around which is a very bad thing for anyone to nurture. Being alert and panic is a different thing.

2nd Week (23–29 March)

At night around 11:45 pm, I got a call from a Cop, I come to know from the True Caller app that installed on my mobile. I got all understanding instantly, that officials come in to play now and I said myself get a ready buddy. The person introduced himself cop and calling from my nearby Police Station. He asked me general questions as inquiry, like my name, when I came from Singapore, who alongs with me, that’s it. Later on, I got another call around 12:45 am of SHO (Station House Officer), first, the ring comes on my wife’s mobile then after on mine. On the first instance, I asked with due respect why calling this time, He said your life is more important, I agreed with him and we continued on call. The same questions he asked as before that cop asked. I also told him that I already got the call from another official around 1 hour before, he said I see. And again I assured him that I understand that we have remained 14 days quarantine and we will and with thanks note, the call halted.

The next morning around noon two guys came from the Punjab Health Department and they had four stickers of A4 size around with the name of each of us, with Headline Home Quarantine from 15th to 29th March. They stuck that on the front-facing wall of our house. I was muttering inside that now neighbors gonna scare more.

Then afterward daily continuous for 5 days, Health department officials accompanied with cops visited our house any time, to cross-check we are following the quarantine restrictions or not and also to check our well being. I always welcomed and applauded them for their effort.

They really cross-checked the Home quarantined peeps almost very well. Now when I am posting this post I am already home isolated from the last 28 days with my family.

I hope the World will be better soon.