BENGALURU: Ever since the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) released its guidelines for Covid-19 treatment in June, the protocol followed by both private and government hospitals has become simplified.
“For out-patients, monoclonal antibody therapy is used for the right kind of people. A good deal of doctors have walked away from most of the drugs. Remdesivir is given only when the patient has less oxygen and within nine days of the illness. Steroids are given only seven days after the onset of illness if oxygen levels drop below 93%.
Largely, supportive care (like paracetamol) is given… blood thinners for all patients who are admitted as a preventive measure with no use of drugs that are not validated, such as 2DG,” said Ravindra Mehta, senior consultant and HoD, Pulmonology and Interventional Pulmonology, Apollo Speciality Hospitals.
The guidelines state that Tocilizumab can be used only in severe and critically ill patients if they show no signs of improvement in terms of oxygen requirement even after 24-48 hours of administration of steroids and have significantly raised inflammatory markers.
“We do not use Hydroxychloroquine, Azythromycin, Doxycycline and Ivermectin. For severe patients, we use oxygen, ventilator, non-rebreather mask, and ICU treatment. Now, steroids is used judiciously and on a need basis to prevent black fungus,” said Dr K G Suresh, senior specialist, K C General Hospital.