Covid-19: How Bhushan Thakur has remained uninfected in an entire village in Himachal

Meet 52-year-old Bhushan Thakur, a resident of Thorang village in Lahaul-Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh. He is the only resident out of 43 villagers in the entire village who hasn’t contracted Covid-19.

The rest of all, have tested positive with varying degrees of symptoms. In fact, Thakur’s own family members who live with him are Covid-19 positive.

“In my village, all 43 people underwent Covid-19 test and 42 turned positive. I am the only one who is negative,” Thakur told The National Bulletin on phone from Thorang.

So why has the virus not contracted him?

“I follow Covid-19 protocols in letter and spirit,” he said.

He added, “I always wear a mask even when I am home. I maintain physical distance and keep my hands sanitized. It is due to this reason I think the virus hasn’t contracted me despite sharing the same space with my family members who are Covid-19 positive.”

In Thakur’s family, there are seven members including him. Six have tested positive.

“I maintain distance from them, cock my own food in my own way. They also maintain physical distancing and cook food for them separately,” Thakur said.

Talking about the reason for the spread of the virus among the villagers, Thakur blames it on the weather as he says that due to cold weather people try to stay in a single room which they keep warm during the night.

“This results in the spread of infection,” he said.

Himachal Pradesh has witnessed a spurt in Covid-19 positive cases along with the rise in the number of deaths. The Centre has recently sent a team of experts to help the state government manage the crisis.