Covid-19 has infected hundreds of thousands of people across the world and while a vaccine is well within reach, it’ll be another few months before it is available and accessible to everyone across the world. Until then, the second and deadlier wave and strain of the virus has made it even more crucial to stay safe and take precautionary measures to avoid infection or even re-infection. As routine would have it, even when washing hands and wearing masks, life and work must go on, putting people at risk, as we saw with several celebrities. Some of our favourite celebrities, in the last few months, tested positive for Covid-19 including Mahira Khan, Saheefa Jabbar Khattak, Sanam Jung, Neelum Munir and Usman Mukhtar, among others.

Recently, actor Ali Rehman Khan also revealed via his social media handle, that despite following all the SOPs, he tested positive for Covid. The actor, who has now recovered, is currently busy shooting for his upcoming film, Parde Mein Rehne Do, as well as a drama serial tentatively titled Safar Tamaam Hua.

We caught up with Ali Rehman Khan for an insight on what measures he took after he got to know that he has contracted the virus.

Self-isolation

According to the Bewafa actor, his first reaction to testing positive for Covid was confusion and concern. “I was a little shook. I couldn’t understand how I had gotten it because I was following all the SOPs and tried maintaining social distance as much as I could,” he shared.

He further went on to say that the first thing he did was isolate himself. “I made sure to call all the people I had come into recent contact with and inform them that I had tested positive. Moreover, I revealed the news on my social media handles so that those I couldn’t reach out to would know and get themselves tested as well.”

Eating healthy

On what alterations he made to his diet, he revealed that the doctor advised him not to follow his routine diet plan. “I was fortunate enough that I didn’t lose my sense of taste and didn’t have any kind of body ache either.

The only thing I experienced was weight loss, as I wasn’t consuming the kind of food that I would eat on a normal day. All I did was follow my doctor’s advice and consume proper, healthy food. I was also told that I shouldn’t be dieting during this time. So, I had lots of vegetables and fruits as well as healthy homemade food,” he explains.

Working out

As far as physical exercise is concerned, Ali tells Instep, “I was very lucky that I didn’t have any of the symptoms related to Covid-19; I was asymptomatic. So I had the energy to do light exercises such as push-ups and squats, while I was in self-isolation. After almost 10 days, I stepped out and did some walking in my garden. The idea was to stay active.”

Boost your immune system

With the novel coronavirus infecting many, we definitely need our bodies’ defences to be as strong as possible and for that it is essential to strengthen our immune systems. When asked what he consumed to make his immune system stronger, Ali said, “I used to have a mixture of 1000mg Vitamins C, zinc, magnesium and Vitamin D. Also, I drank loads of yakhni (clear broth), warm water and ginger tea during that time.”

Piece of advice

The actor advises those who test positive for the coronavirus to stay calm and opt for light exercises. “Don’t panic and don’t take too much stress. For those who have no symptoms, try to meditate and self-reflect during this time. It is quite an unpredictable disease that affects every person differently, so it is important to stay relaxed and vigilant,” he stressed. Ali also recommends taking steam along with drinking a lot of yakhni, ginger tea and warm water. “You should take steam by adding some Vicks VaporRub; it gives you a lot of relief. Apart from that, eat foods that are nutritious. Don’t forget to drink loads of water and keep yourself hydrated,” he concluded.