New norms: Treat all these with signs, masks up at residence

Underlining that the virus pressure within the second surge is very infectious, the top of India’s Covid-19 job pressure Monday really useful that the time has come to put on masks in “home settings” to interrupt the chain of transmission.
Significantly, one other member of the Covid-19 job pressure and Director of AIIMS Randeep Guleria mentioned that given the unprecedented surge, it’s crucial to start out Covid-19 therapy of those that present “classic Covid-19 symptoms” regardless of adverse RT-PCR checks or of these whose outcomes are awaited.
These two key suggestions got here as India reported a file 3,52,991 new instances Monday and a pair of,812 deaths within the final 24 hours; the nation’s energetic caseload has reached 28,13,658.
“In my view, looking at the pandemic and the number of cases, we have to do clinico-radiological diagnosis, for those whose RT-PCR tests are getting delayed but the patient is showing classical Covid-19 symptoms, or CT scan shows classical Covid-19 symptoms. We should accept this is Covid-19 and these people should get treatment as per Covid-19 protocol…the RT-PCR tests also could come negative because its sensitivity is not 100 per cent,” Guleria mentioned.
Flagging the surge, V Okay Paul, who heads the Covid-19 job pressure mentioned, that there are advantages to put on a masks at residence given its fast unfold.
“We should stay at home and get treatment (for mild symptoms). We have to adopt the right things… promote home care. We also have to remember that if there is one positive case in the house — it is very important that the person wears the mask; because he spreads the virus. I want to say that time has come that we should start wearing masks at home even in normal circumstances. Earlier we spoke about (wearing a mask) outdoors. The spread of the infection is faster and by chance someone can get it. There are benefits if you wear a mask even when you are sitting with someone at home,” Paul mentioned.

“In this situation, it is very important that we wear a mask. We should not unnecessarily venture out. Stay with the family. However, even with the family, please wear mask. Please don’t invite people into your home. At home, if someone has an infection, extra care should be taken because the virus is highly transmissible. The angle of transmissibility is becoming clear. It is very important we don’t go out or invite people as we protect our families,” Paul mentioned.
On Monday, Guleria emphasised that folks with delicate signs shouldn’t panic — and that this can lead to overwhelming of well being infrastructure.
“In this critical phase of the pandemic, we have to ensure that our hospital facilities are optimally utilised. There is an unnecessary panic that is causing more harm than good. There is panic among patients who are tested positive, and have normal oxygen saturation; they also start searching for hospital beds because of which we are experiencing a huge rush outside the hospitals. Genuine patients will suffer because of this panic because they will not receive proper treatment,” Guleria mentioned.
Guleria mentioned some individuals, in panic, have begun hoarding medicines. “This is also causing an unnecessary shortage of certain drugs in the market. There is also misuse of drugs because people assume that if they consume the medicines from the first day itself (after testing positive), they can protect themselves. This causes side effects,” Guleria mentioned.
Guleria, particularly, raised the problem of “rational” use of oxygen at residence. “In this disease 85 per cent will have mild disease, who will recover slowly. All of them will recover with supportive treatment. They only need home isolation and close monitoring. We have to watch the warning signs: high temperature; low oxygen saturation; severe vomiting; and fatigue. If everyone wants a hospital bed due to panic, then no health infrastructure can handle this load,” Guleria mentioned.

“Some people also think that if they store oxygen and start oxygen therapy from the first day, they would not need oxygen later. These are wrong notions. Oxygen is an important aspect of Covid-19 treatment; but its misuse is an equally important aspect. Even those who have 94-95 oxygen saturation level, the oxygen is reaching the key organs. There is no requirement to make it 98-99 through oxygen therapy. This is misuse because the same oxygen can be used for those whose levels are below 90. When it is falling (below 94), contact your doctor,” Guleria mentioned.
Paul additional added that these in residence isolation shouldn’t hoard Remdesivir however as an alternative use medicine really useful for delicate illness as per medical administration protocol.
“For those in home isolation, patients can use Ivermectin and Hydroxycholoroquine. If the cough persists for more than five days, you can take inhalation budesonide,” Paul mentioned.