In an uncommon occurrence of Covid breakthrough infection, Vivek Kumar Singh, an AIIMS Hospital employee, tested positive three weeks after being fully vaccinated. Here, he is grateful that vaccines and colleagues at AIIMS helped him survive.
I tested positive for Covid, 25 days after getting my second dose of the vaccine.
I got my first shot on February 23, second on March 25 and tested positive on April 23. I am one of those few and far between cases who got infected three weeks after receiving my full two-dose of the vaccination. This is called ‘breakthrough infection’ when a person tests positive for Covid after getting the second jab. I am part of a nanoscopic number, about 3 of 10,000 who contract the infection despite the vaccine. According to medical data and records, a small percentage of breakthrough cases is expected in the pandemic.
So, I am one of those rare breakthrough cases.
हिंदी में पढ़े : कोविड वैक्सीन और सामाजिक समर्थन ने गंभीर संक्रमण से बचाया
Symptoms
After receiving my two-doses of Covaxin, I had satisfaction in the knowledge that I have certain level of immunity against coronavirus now. Unfortunately, the pandemic appears to be more complicated than that.
Trouble began when my son, wife and mother-in-law developed high fever and sudden cough. I immediately suspected Covid, because our house help had reported sick. But what caught me totally off guard was that next day I, too, developed fever, sore throat and diarrhoea. That astounded me.
Since the second wave of Covid was raging all around us in Delhi in April, I didn’t waste time and organised an RT-PCR test for all four us. I got in touch with the doctors and started the medication, even before the RT-PCR results. When the reports came, we had all tested positive, including myself.
My family got better within 3 days, but my high-grade fever was not resolving. I also had body ache, extreme sweating and found it difficult to sleep. My SpO2 (blood oxygen level) was hovering around 95-94. Since I have been a patient of asthma, the doctor started me with steroids on the fifth day. My fever finally began coming down and I felt better.
Precipitated a sinus attack
I was on the way to recovery, when due to my own folly, I fell sick again. Around April 23, when I tested positive for Covid, the temperature in Delhi was becoming unbearable. It had become blistering hot and we were finding it difficult to sleep at night without our air conditioners. As our AC had not been serviced for many months due to lockdown, I cleaned the cooler and got it started. The cleaning process flared up my sinusitis. I developed severe headache, nasal congestion, tenderness around my eyes and forehead. I feared it was an attack of mucormycosis or black fungus. But that was ruled out as I was prescribed regular Antibiotics for Sinusitis got relieved within few days.
Virus Overload
I am a Medical Social Service Officer (MSSO) at AIIMS Hospital. I may have contracted the infection due to virus overload on repeated exposure or due to some new variant. Breakthrough infection is a risk faced by frontline workers and medical staff. In my case, may be the viral infection increased to such a level that my antibodies could not fight it. The problem is that at present we know limited about the Covid virus and there are number of factors influencing the treatment and outcome. I was already in an environment where transmission was particularly high.
But I am extremely thankful that I was protected by the vaccine. The Covid symptoms were less severe. It could have been worse with my asthma and sinusitis. I have been seeing some heart wrenching cases in the hospital - People who are desperately struggling to survive or those who have succumbed fighting the virus. It is most agonising.
Grateful to AIIMS
I have been an employee of the AIIMS hospital for the last 8 years. At the back of my mind, the comfort was there that the best chance of survival is here at AIIMS. There are 50 people working in our institute as Medical Social Service Officers. We share a close bond. Besides being given constant medical advice, I received a great deal of psychological and social support. If ever I needed hospitalization, I was assured that I would get a lot of support in the hospital and excellent care. When my RT-PCR report came positive and I needed an Oxymeter but it was in short supply across Delhi. The staff immediately ensured that I had one at home by evening. We have a WhatsApp group and we help each other out. I am grateful that I am an employee of AIIMS, especially during the pandemic.
Immunocompromised person at home
I must mention that during this health scare at home, my father-in-law was spared. He is a blood cancer patient and is on a heavy dose of strong medicines and steroids. Although he has received the first dose of Covishield, we were concerned about him because his condition is immunocompromised. But, thankfully, despite all of us contracting the virus at home, he was absolutely okay.
Still recovering
I am still recovering, even after a month. Fatigue sets in easily and I am unable to concentrate as well or for as long. When I am working on the computer, I have to take frequent breaks. I can’t read or write continuously at a stretch. My eyes start paining. It could probably be the remnant of sinusitis and Covid.
This experience of fighting the infection and thinking of survival made me more humble, grateful and introspective. I am sure as an individual and as a society we all will learn from the Pandemic and it will leave us wiser, more humble and humane. At the end of the day, I am glad I am still alive and can respond to my call to serve the society as a Covid-warrior.
