On Doctor's Day Let's celebrate the heroes who made 152,314 recoveries possible so far

Traditionally, doctors don’t have to risk their own lives to save others. But that’s what it has come to today - doctors, nurses and paramedics are all on the frontlines of a war against COVID-19. Fighting the battle against an enemy that can’t even be seen by the naked eye, so that we can stay safe at home. Many doctors and nurses are coming out of retirement to join this fight as well.

March 30 is observed as Doctor’s Day in the US. While in India, it’s on July 1st, there’s no better time than now to take a minute to acknowledge and appreciate the efforts of all the doctors, in every corner of this world. It’s not just their time, skill and energy that they’ve offered. No, many have had to isolate from their families because they spend all day long in the company of patients who have an extremely contagious infection. While some of them are given PPE (government-mandated Personal Protective Equipment for medical professionals), many of them treat patients without it, at a huge risk to their own health. That’s the equivalent of going into battle without armour. Many of them are working around the clock to try and develop a vaccine for the virus or test medications that could help treat the infection. For so many of them, the fear at the back of their minds is being realized and they’re testing positive for the viral infection COVID-19. Some of them, including Dr Li Wenliang, are succumbing to the very disease they’re trying to treat.

All of their combined contributions are the reason for the 152,314 COVID-19 recoveries till date. At least for one day, instead of discussing and sharing the number of cases, we can shift the focus to the number of recoveries instead.

And on a day like this, in times like these, we wake up to news articles about how more doctors are now being evicted for this very contribution. People fear that these doctors may bring back the virus to their home and their localities. While our fear may be very real, so is their exhaustion and relief at making it back home. If you can’t appreciate them, at least just leave them alone.

At the very basic level, here’s what you can do to support doctors:

• Stay indoors - as per the government’s guidelines - so they can go to work. 
• Don’t hoard essential medical supplies like surgical masks, gloves, ventilators and medical-grade sanitizers.
• Support your neighbourhood doctors with groceries or childcare, offering to take care of them when they’re working. 
• Lend an ear - the emotional toll of this fight can be worse than the physical one. 
• If it is within your means, donate to a fund that provides them with protective gear.
• Don't panic. It leads to chaos. 
• For more tips, read our article on Inventive Solutions to Treat Symptoms of COVID-19.

Health articles in Firstpost are written by myUpchar.com, India’s first and biggest resource for verified medical information. At myUpchar, researchers and journalists work with doctors to bring you information on all things health.