By Sampada Anuranjanee Khatiwada

Kathmandu, Mar. 24: Along with another imported case of COVID-19 infection, the threat of coronavirus has increased all over Nepal. The government, in line with the World Health Organisation (WHO), has called everyone to quarantine themselves in order to prevent the infection and spread of the deadly virus.
The doctors, however, assert that having a sound mental health is equally important while combating the virus and staying in quarantine.
“Nepalis often neglect the importance of mental health,” said Dr. Sagar Kumar Rajbhandari, director at Shukraraaj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital (SDITH). “A sound mental health helps to build a strong immunity system to fight with the virus.”
Dr. Rajbhandari said that everyone should use their expertise during the time of emergency to make sure that their family members, relatives and acquaintances are not worried by the threat of virus.
“For an instance, those involved in social science studies should spread awareness in their respective societies, localities about the positive aspects of home quarantine and utilisation of free time,” said Dr. Rajbhandari.
The pandemic has quarantined almost everyone across the world while even the celebrities and social media influencers are found encouraging everyone to practice social distancing and making their spare ‘quarantine time’ at home productive.
Sambriddhi Rai, a Nepali singer and media personality, by releasing a video, has called everyone to stay safe at home and utilise their free time in learning new things through the internet, completing their unfinished reads, helping family members in their daily chores and so forth.
Other celebrities such as singer Deepak Bajracharya and former Miss Nepal Shrinkhala Khatiwada have gone in quarantine and have requested everyone to make the most out of their isolation period.
Not only the celebrities, the doctors, the government and various international organisations have suggested everyone during the quarantine period to maintain a sound mental health.
“It is my seventh day in self-quarantine and I have been working from home,” said Rajan Sharma, 34. “As I have a lot of spare time, I have decided to help my mother in terrace farming.”
Sharma believes that terrace farming has helped him to stay close to the environment and inhale positivity.
Dr. Rabindra Pandey, a public health specialist, said that having a sound mental health was important to prevent the spread of the virus.
“Firstly, everyone must understand that staying in quarantine per se is for their betterment,” said Dr. Pandey. “We are either preventing ourselves from virus infection or we are preventing the spread of the virus by staying at home.”
Dr. Pandey said that especially the elderly people and people with high blood pressure should stay positive.
“Although the world is experiencing a panicky situation, everyone in quarantine should focus on the positive side of staying in isolation,” said Dr. Pandey.
As majority of us will be staying at home, we should now focus on investing our time in doing something productive rather than fretting about the virus.
Cooking new dishes, reading books, watching informative documentaries or movies, writing articles, cleaning or re-organising your furniture or closet, playing indoor games with your family members, eating healthy food would help in keeping your mind occupied amidst the chaos created by the pandemic, said Dr. Pandey.