Home Quarantine, how can you pass it?

Dr. Sheikh Arshid
Restrictions have been imposed on the movement and assembly of people throughout Kashmir to contain the spread of coronavirus. Security forces have sealed off main roads in most places in the valley and erected barriers at several other places especially in hotspots and red zones to check the unwanted movement of the people and to enforce the complete lockdown. Only high officials and persons with valid movement passes were allowed to move and rest of the people are totally restricted from their movement. The markets across the valley were shut and public transport was off the roads with only pharmacies and groceries are allowed to open, and only in necessary and urgent times people are allowed to move out from their houses under surveillance and maintaining proper social distancing procedure to buy daily commodities and medicines. The strict measures were taken here after the detection of the first positive case of coronavirus in the valley and more than 59,000 people have been kept under surveillance, including those who are either in government established quarantine facilities or in home isolation. In view of the prevailing situation people are locked inside their houses to make the lockdown successful so that the coronavirus chain can be broken to mitigate of spreading of COVID-19.As new COVID-19 cases continue to emerge in Kashmir individuals are being requested to stay at home in self-quarantine and it is mandatory to follow up the lockdown and make it successful. Staying at home for prolonged periods of time can pose a significant challenge for remaining physically active. Sedentary behaviour and low levels of physical activity can have negative effects on the health, well-being and quality of life of individuals. Self-quarantine can also cause additional stress and challenge the mental health of citizens but some activities like physical exercise, relaxation techniques, meditation, prayers, taking part in household activities etc can be valuable tools to help an individual to remain calm and continue to protect the health. The following are some tips on how to stay active in self-quarantine:
Physical activity: After Fajr prayer,short bouts of physical activity is the suggested exercise that can be done early in the morning along with children in the compound or in garden that can help an individual to relax the muscles of legs, arms and rest of the body.
Take part in domestic chores: It is great time to take part in household activities as walk in small spaces, walking around or walking on the spot can help to remain active. If an individual has a call, stand or walk around his home while you speak, instead of complete sitting down, can be beneficial in keeping body healthy.
Reading books: Reduce your sedentary time by standing up at a desk by using a high table or stacking a pile of cushions to read different types of books of GK, Islamic, novels, games and puzzles that can reduce idleness during Quarantine.
Meditation ( Zikri Ilahi and Mohammad SAW): Meditation or Zikr is the best way to keep an individual calm and comfortable. In Zikr do it as valuable and profitable ones so that in turn Allah will reward with ample of Ajer or benefits.
Avoid Junk foods: For optimal health, it is also important to remember to eat healthily and stay hydrated. Ensure plenty of fruits and vegetables, and limit the intake of salt, sugar, fat and junk foods. Prefer whole grains rather than refined foods and also follow nutrition charts issued by Health department amid COVID-19.
Read Qur’an: It is the best time to remain in touch with Quran as holy month of Ramadhan is over head and atleast read a single (Para) a day so that the soul will be bestowed with mercy and blessings of Almighty Allah.
Offer five times prayer:
On normal days a man gets completely detached from prayers due to hectic schedule of businesses or other works so during home Quarantine a man has the best opportunity to recall Almighty Allah on five time prayers. This will help a person to get rthym of praying during the day at its particular timing.
Reading and listening news: Reading or listening news can make a person up-to-date and informative about the current affairs of the world. This way can also help a person to be relaxed from stress of lockdown or self quarantine.
Playing with children: Children are called apple of a man and they are also the biggest allurements. A person must involve himself in the small activities of children and make them aware about the present circumstances and also give them information about Covid-19 at home. Arrange them the small toys, playing kits, football, volleyball,bats etc so they can be involved in their activities along with yourself.
Take part in house cleaning: Tidy up your house, get in the nooks and crannies of your abode and clean up itll create a better environment and also help to keep the virus at bay by disinfecting.
Learn cooking: Learn to cook all those recipes and other dishes so that at the crises time a person will help himself without cohabitants.
Organise quality time with family: Spend some quality time with the people in house and discuss all those details which are pending or yet to come that will help a person to plan his time thoroughly. These all attempts will help an individual in crucial time of COVID-19 to pass the self Quarantine smoothly and also to stop the transmission of the coronavirus.
(The author a resident of Kuchmulla Tral is a research scholar. Views are his own, [email protected])