PANDEMIC OF STEROIDS

Steroids are essential in fighting infectious diseases. Used recklessly, they can cause life-threatening side effects like mucormycosis, as was witnessed in the aftermath of the pandemic’s second wave. COVID-19 is a new disease, and its treatments and dosages are constantly evolving. India will find it difficult to contain the disease unless the government can ensure timely dissemination and implementation of treatment protocols. A report by BANJOT KAUR

- BANJOT KAUR

AJIT, a 45-year-old graphics designer in New Delhi, tested positive for COVID-19 in mid-April when the country was in the grip of a devastating second wave of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. “Though my symptoms were mild, I reached out to a doctor as I wanted to cover my bases,” he says. The doctor, too, wanted to ensure that Ajit’s health condition did not deteriorate at a time when hospitals were full, and promptly prescribed him steroids with a cocktail of antibiotics and antivirals. Three months later, Ajit and his doctors are painfully aware of how much this decision, which seemed sensible then, has cost him. Ajit now battles against a host of new health complications, likely triggered by the steroids that gained popularity as a lifesaver during the pandemic.