
Human adaptability and endurance towards situationally adverse uncertainty are the two foundational building blocksof civilized growth that have been repeatedly tried and tested to the very extent in terms of what we can endure as a collective particularly since September of 2020, may it be through isolation, death, permanent physiological impairments, hardship, pain, loss, hunger, poverty, or degradation of quality of life. The virus and the consequences that followed its mighty destructiveness brought an unforeseeable form of stand stillness to a socio-economic system that was neither designed nor ever meant to be halted, particularly in such an indefinite manner. Unsurprisingly, this unprecedented occurrence did much to create a disastrously uncertain future. We spent over a year being locked inside our homes, hiding from an enemy that is incomprehensibly small and yet has managed to send shockwaves of fear and panic across the most powerful species to have ever walked on this Earth. Life and existence as a whole is full of ironies if nothing else, and even though we seem to be finally gaining the upper hand in the struggle, a number of potentially significant threats are beginning to loom across the horizons that reside beyond the chaos, one of whom being the emergence of a Black Fungus epidemic.
The human body, particularly the immune system, does a pretty spectacular job in preventing and dealing with external microscopic threats that manage to dig their way into the complex physiological and biological systems of a person, with its presence posing enough significance and inducing enough body-wide influence to be able to decide its host’s fate as a whole. However, when a virus it has never fought introduces itself and starts a devastating and reckless battle, it becomes likely for a whole number of consequences to begin emerging, many of whom without a real or definite explanation. Such a battle also results to an exhausted immune system, and all that focus into one invader and dealing with the consecutive damages as a result leaves the body potentially vulnerable towards the growth of dangerous forms of bacteria and parasitic micro-organisms.
This is when the black fungus, a disease also referred to as Mucormycosis, steps into the spotlight. It is a condition that is primarily characterized as a relatively rare fungal infection that resides in and around the nose with a significantly high mortality rate. Although research on the exact causalities over its emergence remains limited, it has been determined through statistical analysis that the underlying conditions produced or provoked by a Covid-19 infection after its eradication from the body are to blame, such as worsened diabetes or a weakened overall immunological response towards any foreign or dangerous entities seeking to grow within the biological system. The infection is understood as one capable of causing notably gruesome symptoms such as pain and redness around the eyes, blurred vision, chest pain, and coughing of blood. More common symptoms such as headaches, fever, and breathing difficulties have also been reported.
It is said that desperate times provoke desperate measures, a philosophy that seems to have backfired in terms of the Black Fungus. For example, when things regressed to be unsustainably severe and critical patients began emerging like flames coming off of a destabilizing nuclear reactor, the desperation to save lives as quickly as possible to accommodate the ones waiting in lines for a bed forced doctors to widely prescribe a number of relatively controversial medications to ease the symptoms of the infection or the severity of post-covid complications. These medications reside in the classification of drugs given the scientific term of corticosteroids, while more commonly beingknown as steroids among the general public. These man-made drugs are formulated with the intention of artificially introducing fresh hormones to the body. The immune system’s unregulated inflammatory responses towards a bacterial or viral infection is evidently the biological factor that causes the majority of covid-related deaths due to the consequential swelling and inflammation reaching fatally dangerous levels. Steroids rudimentarily lend a helping hand in controlling that.
However, with exact reasons being majorly unknown, most of the victims of the cases of Black Fungus infections appeared with a history of supplemental steroids consumption, mostly having been prescribed by their doctors to aid their post-covid recovery. The frequency of these components completely rule out the possibility of the occurrences simply being products of coincidental instances. Although a definite explanation is still being explored, it is theorized by a number of doctors and scientists studying the infection that the steroid medications, while being lifesaving in critical situations, adversely hamper the body’s immunological responses by suppressing its attributes that contribute to macroscopic inflammation. This, added on top of an already weakened immunity because of a covid infection and the possible chronic provocation or the pre-existing presence of body-wide sugar imbalances or diabetes, evidently contribute to raising the chances of contracting the fungal infection. Almost all of the recorded cases in India were found to have been under the influence of at least on of these factors, giving a much-needed degree of clarity over the possible causes.
The black fungus, while being dangerously severe, is a condition that can be cured with appropriate inductions of pharmaceutical substances or medical treatments provided that the victim identifies the issue and seeks medical assistance on time. Black Fungus is a progressive infection that starts its ruthless journey in the nose and progresses towards the eyes and ultimately, the brain. Symptoms such as loss of vision, and eye redness and pain are strong indications of the condition reaching critical levels. After learning all this, you will most definitely agree to the fact that the cruciality of being aware of the problem cannot be emphasized enough. The most crucial parts of this puzzle are prevention and identification. For the former, you can start by staying safe from the virus either through vaccination or isolation. In the instance of being infected and recovering, do not indulge in the consumption of steroids unless it is absolutely necessary. If your post-covid complications are not life-threatening and do not extend beyond simply being in the realms of inconvenience, then taking the drug is most definitely optional. Always consider steroids as the last resort if nothing else.
For identification, begin by establishing your level of vulnerability and susceptibility to getting the black fungus. Objectively ask yourself a range of questions such as:
1. Am I diabetic?
2. Do I have irregular sugar levels?
3. Have I recently recovered from covid? If yes, was the infection mild or critical?
4. Am I experiencing or are severely impacted by post-covid complications?
5. Have I been consuming prescription drugs that are classified as steroids?
6. Do I have underlying conditions that can affect my immunity? (e.g immuno-compromised)
and most importantly,
7. Am I experiencing any of the symptoms?
However, it is important to note that many of the post covid complications, such as chronic headaches and nausea, are also symptoms of black fungus, so it is possible to confuse yourself between the two. In the majority of instances, the signs of a black fungus infection emerge within a span of 1 to 3 weeks after recovering from Covid-19, though for some it can possibly take longer. The best course of action is to consult your doctor if any of the answers to the questions stated above come out as a “yes”. If not, then spreading awareness and being on the lookout for the symptoms can go as far as to potentially saving the life of not just a loved onebut countless others residing outside of your immediate spectrum.
Be aware, be considerate, and be intuitive.