Fasting Safely During COVID-19 Crisis in Ramadan

Patients with Health Conditions and Healthcare Workers Are Exempted From Fasting

Individuals Who Are Observing Fast Must Consume As Many Calories as Possible

Ramadan is a sacred and holy month for millions of Muslims across the world, which will be observed under lockdown this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which is threatening the lives of billions of people. Every year, in the month of Ramadan, which is according to the lunar calendar, Muslims are obliged to observe fast from dawn till dusk along with dedicating themselves to devotion, prayer, and contemplation. It is being advised for fasting safely during COVID-19 crisis in Ramadan to prevent any life-threatening situation from happening.

Ramadan under lockdown

Fasting during Ramadan is an obligation for all adult Muslims to follow, who have the ability to safely undergo the time limit without food and water, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there are some extra limitations required to be followed to prevent any fatalities. Fasting safely during COVID-19 crisis in Ramadan is being advised as fighting against infection also takes a lot of energy, which decreases during fasting.

As the prolonged prohibition of eating and drinking can bring down the capacity of the autoimmune system of the human body, it is urged for fasting safely during COVID-19 crisis in Ramadan. For those individuals who are observing fast amid the month of Ramadan, it is important for the body to consume as many calories as possible during the duration of time permitted to eat, to provide optimum energy required during the day for fasting safely during COVID-19 crisis in Ramadan.

Food products containing a high amount of macronutrients and micronutrients will keep the energy levels of the body for daily activates. Overeating and under-eating will directly affect the body’s immune response, which is why advised to stay with balanced energy for fasting safely during COVID-19 crisis in Ramadan.

Due to dehydration, likely to happen during continuous fasting can affect the mucus lining inside the trachea, which provides a protective barrier against harmful agents. But to boost the immune response of the human body, proper adequate sleep, daily exercise, and de-stressing whenever possible can help very much for fasting safely during COVID-19 crisis in Ramadan.

To limit and prevent the risk of transmission of COVID-19, preventive measures should be taken, including frequent hand washing, staying at home, and limiting exposure to the outside surroundings during the lockdown.

People with health issues and health care workers

Those individuals who are currently suffering from any health condition are exempted from fasting, and it is also not recommended for people suffering from long term diseases such as Diabetes Mellitus. Those individuals who are suffering from such conditions, but have kept their health at an optimum and well-managed level can fast, adding slow-release carbohydrates into the diet along with frequent checking of blood sugar level for fasting safely during COVID-19 crisis in Ramadan.

For the health care staff working round the clock within close contact with COVID-19 patients comprising of doctors, nurses and physiotherapists, fasting is exempted as the act of fasting might have diminishing effects on the immune system of the body. During fasting, the stress hormone cortisol is released, which has suppressing effects on the human body, which can make the body prone to COVID-19 infection. For fasting safely during COVID-19 crisis in Ramadan, a proper healthy food diet should be followed to have adequate energy levels throughout the day.

Across the world, more than 2,796,143 individuals have been infected by the COVID-19 virus since November 2019, with the ground zero being Mainland China for the infection. COVID-19 has now spread into 210 countries and territories across the globe due to which 194,547 people have died after suffering from severe and critical conditions associated with the infection. Only 773,408 individuals have been able to recover back to their health after being infected by the COVID-19 virus.

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