Daily News Capsule

During this peak of covid-19, hospitals are running out of beds and oxygen with a large number of Covid positive patients who require hospital admission, doctors are pleading people not to get anxious if the RT-PCR gets positive, and seeking hospital admission, when not required. The majority of covid-19 patients are treating under home treatment, a video message shared by the citizen engagement of India said based on the suggestions of Dr. CS Pramesh, director, tata memorial hospital. 

Aside from good nutrition, plenty of fluids, and yoga, covid positive individuals must track their oxygen levels and fever. For that purpose, a six-minute walk is suggested for checking oxygen levels before and after a walk in the isolation rooms. The test should be done 2-3 times a day, if the readings are normal, there is no need for hospital admission. 

A  covid patient needs hospitalization when:-

• Oximeter shows baseline saturation below 94%
• If got 4% or more fluctuations in oxygen levels before and after 6 minutes of walking.

In case, if the oxygen level is below 94%, the person should lie down on their belly, to improve oxygen level in the blood. 

Also read: how to do registration for the covid vaccine for 18 years and above 

About medication, paracetamol can be taken if the person does not have any other symptoms with fever. 

Aiims director, Dr. Ramdeep Guleria stated that more than 85% of people with covid-19 can recover without any specific treatment. “Oxygen is a treatment, it’s like a drug. There is no data to shows that this will be of any help to the patients and is, therefore ill-advised, “he said adding that the healthy individuals with oxygen saturation in the range of 93-94% do not need to take high-flow oxygen to maintain the optimum saturation levels.