KOCHI: The second wave of Covid continues to lash out throughout the country, and Kerala is suffering too. Availability of medical resources is reducing daily — be it medical workers, laboratories or hospital beds. Good coordination between private and public hospitals have enabled us to somehow manage our resources effectively so far.
At this point don’t want people with mild symptoms occupying the hospital beds Everyone should be equipped to manage mild Covid symptoms at home. Avoid hospital visits and allow people with other diseases, who need emergency medical assistance to avail themselves. Here are few pointers: If you test positive, the first thing to do is isolate yourself. Your room should be well ventilated with a fan. Avoid air conditioning.
If your caretaker is Covid negative, they should wear a proper mask, face shield, gloves and disposable PPE kit if possible. Also, make sure you dispose of all your disposable protective gears with utmost responsibility.Keep a digital thermometer and pulse oximeter handy. They will help you monitor symptoms at home.
Assess your symptoms to know the severity of the condition. There are chances of continuous fever during the first few days. Digital Thermometer can be used for measuring your temperature. You can keep the fever under control with drugs like paracetamol. Manage cough, throat pain and nose block with oral medicines and home remedies.Loss of taste and smell is quite common with Covid, however, not all those who are infected may develop this. The senses usually recoup when you recover from the illness. It is advisable to get a Teleconsultation from a doctor for symptomatic management.
Assess your breathing capacity. Can you take a deep breath and hold it for at least 10- 20 seconds. If you can, there is no need for any concern at this point.Adapt prone ventilation/ lateral position/ and sitting position. Avoid lying flat on their back for a long time. To know more about prone ventilation you can refer internet or ask a doctor or respiratory therapist.
Another important aspect is your blood oxygen level, which is measured using a pulse oximeter. If it is above 94% then you are currently in a good condition. Also, check the oxygen level after mild exertion like after going to the bathroom or walking for six minutes inside your room, if your saturation is still above 94% it shows your oxygen levels are fine. If your saturation is between 92-94% then be very careful, you need to monitor your oxygen level every 4-6 hours. If your oxygen level is below 90% and you have chest discomfort accompanied by frequent cough, breathlessness or continuous fever then you may require admission after consultation with the doctor. There are also rare cases of Covid presenting itself as stroke, with weakness or slurring of speech.