A Lebanese man, who was infected with the novel coronavirus and whose name was widely circulated in the media told Asharq Al-Awsat that he feels emotionally drained despite recovering.
“I may have recovered from the virus, but I became emotionally tired, so I am taking tranquilizers as a result of the pressure exerted on me and my family by the society.”
The man refuses to give further details, although he did not suffer from the symptoms, nor did he stay in the hospital for a long period before recovering and returning home.
He was bullied just like many of those who have contracted the virus.
While most of those who recovered refused to talk about their experience, few were ready to talk, considering that their words might constitute a kind of awareness and psychological comfort for patients or for those who are scared of the virus.
Ghassoub Franjieh, 50, from Zgharta, North Lebanon, did not deny getting bullying when he and his family were infected with the virus. But he told Asharq Al-Awsat that he did not even care about it.
He said that the problem lied with those who misjudged him only because he contracted the virus. At the same time, he stressed that the way a patient deals with his condition will affect how the society would look at him.
University Professor of Sociology, Abdo Qaii, said that bullying against patients hit with coronavirus was due to fear in the human nature, especially since it is known that the virus is transmitted by infection.
On the other hand, he holds the media community not only in Lebanon, but in various parts of the world, responsible for the prevailing approach to this issue.
