BENGALURU: We have been living with the coronavirus in Karnataka since March and will continue to do so for many more months. There is still a lot of fear and misconceptions in the minds of people. But what has not changed since the start of Covid -19 in December 2019 in China is that it is the elderly and other vulnerable populations who are at high risk.
In Karnataka, as on June 7, there were 5,452 cases and 61 deaths. Of the total deaths, 30 were over 60 years of age and others with comorbidities. Those who are vulnerable include persons over 60 years of age, those suffering from diabetes, hypertension, chronic respiratory disease, chronic heart, kidney, liver or neurological disease, tuberculosis, cancers, blood disorders and extreme obesity.
They need to develop a “protective shield or kavach” against the virus. They should stay away from the young who may infect them by physically isolating themselves in the house. Additionally, they are advised to sleep well for a minimum of six hours, walk regularly and do light exercises or yoga. They should not exert more and avoid stressful situations.
As for diet tips, they must eat light but freshly cooked and warm food every three-four hours. It is better if they prefer vegetarian food. One to two cups of curd daily is good. One fruit every day and four to six dates is also recommended. While following all this, do take your prescribed medicines regularly. These vulnerable people need to follow certain norms. As far as possible, stay home and be safe. If going out is inevitable, then strictly practise ‘Preventive and Social Medicine (PSM)’ for Covid protection in public areas --- P stands for Physical distancing of more than one metre; S is Sanitizer and Soap and M stands for Face mask.
If one develops cough, fever, throat pain, breathing difficulty, diarrhoea, tiredness, aches and pains, redness of eyes, headache, loss of smell or taste etc, one must immediately consult a doctor. Those with respiratory problems are advised to check twice daily the SPO2 (oxygen saturation) using a finger tip pulse oximeter. If the reading is less than 94, the person must immediately consult a doctor. There are certain don’ts too. Avoid refrigerated or iced items, alcohol, meat and fish, and oily and fried foods.
A daily routine of healthy practices, nutritious and well-balanced diet, regular intake of medicines and other supplements is known to improve the health and boost the immunity level which are key to providing a Covid Kavach. Till date, there is neither a drug nor vaccine against Covid-19. So prevention is better when there is no cure.
Dr M K Sudarshan
(Chairman, Karnataka Covid-19 Technical Advisory Committee)