COVID-19 OPD

COVID-19 is the viral illness caused by recently discovered coronavirus. This new virus and disease were unknown before the outbreak began in Wuhan, China, in December 2019.

The most common symtoms of COVID-19 are fever, tiredness and dry cough. Some patients may have aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat or diarrhoea. These symptoms are usually mild and begin gradually. Some people get infected but don’t develop any symptoms and don’t feel unwell.

Most people (about 80%) recover from the disease without needing special treatment. Around 1 out of every 6 people who gets COVID-19 becomes seriously ill and develops difficulty in breathing. Older people, and those with underlying medical problems like high blood pressure, diabetes or heart problems are more likely to develop serious illness.

People with fever, cough and difficulty in breathing should seek medical attention.

People can catch COVID-19 from others who have the virus. The disease can spread from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth which are spread when a person with COVID-19 coughs or exhales.

These droplets land on objects and surfaces around the person. Other people catch COVID-19 by touching these objects or surfaces, then touching their eyes, nose or mouth. People can also catch COVID-19 if they breathe in droplets from a person with COVID-19 who coughs out or exhales droplets.

This is why it is important to stay more than 1 metre (3 feet) away from a person who is sick.

• Regularly and thoroughly clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water.
• Maintain at least 1 metre (3 feet) distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing.
• Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth.
• Make sure you, and the people around you, follow good respiratory hygiene. This means covering your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or tissue when you cough or sneeze. Then dispose off the used tissue immediately.
• Stay home if you feel unwell. If you have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical attention. Follow the directions of your local health authority.

Older persons and persons with pre-existing medical conditions (such as high blood pressure, heart disease, lung disease, cancer or diabetes) appear to develop serious illness more often than others.

Antibiotics do not work against viruses, they only work on bacterial infections. COVID-19 is caused by a virus, so antibiotics do not work. Antibiotics should not be used as a means of prevention or treatment of COVID-19.

Masks should be worn at all times.The most effective ways to protect yourself and others against COVID-19 are to frequently clean your hands, cover your cough with the bend of elbow or tissue and maintain a distance of at least 1 metre (3 feet) from people who are coughing or sneezing.

• Remember, a mask should be worn by everyone.
• Before touching the mask, clean hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water
• Take the mask and inspect it for tears or holes.
• Orient which side is the top side (where the metal strip is).
• Ensure the proper side of the mask faces outwards (the coloured side).
• Place the mask to your face. Pinch the metal strip or stiff edge of the mask so it moulds to the shape of your nose.
• Pull down the mask’s bottom so it covers your mouth and your chin.
• After use, take off the mask; remove the elastic loops from behind the ears while keeping the mask away from your face and clothes, to avoid touching potentially contaminated surfaces of the mask.
• Discard the mask in a closed bin immediately after use.
• Perform hand hygiene after touching or discarding the mask – Use alcohol-based hand rub or, if visibly soiled, wash your hands with soap and water.

The “incubation period” means the time between catching the virus and beginning to have symptoms of the disease. Most estimates of the incubation period for COVID-19 range from 1-14 days, most commonly around five days.

Coronaviruses may persist on surfaces for a few hours or up to several days (5 hours to 9 days). This may vary under different conditions (e.g. type of surface, temperature or humidity of the environment).

If you think a surface may be infected, clean it with simple disinfectant to kill the virus and protect yourself and others. Clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water. Avoid touching your eyes, mouth, or nose.

Only patients who meet current WHO criteria for COVID-19 testing will be tested.

WHO criteria: Suspect case
A. A patient with acute respiratory illness (fever and at least one sign/symptom of respiratory disease (e.g., cough, shortness of breath), AND with no other etiology that fully explains the clinical presentation AND a history of travel to or residence in a country/area or territory reporting local transmission of COVID-19 disease during the 14 days prior to symptom onset.
Or
B. A patient with any acute respiratory illness AND having been in contact with a confirmed or probable COVID-19 case (see definition of contact) in the last 14 days prior to onset of symptoms.
Or
C. A patient with severe acute respiratory infection (fever and at least one sign/symptom of respiratory disease (e.g., cough, shortness breath) AND requiring hospitalization AND with no other etiology that fully explains the clinical presentation.

Real time PCR is naso pharyngeal and oropharyngeal swab. No other test like serology in blood is recommended.

• Self quarantine yourself at home in your room.
• Wear mask
• Wash your hands more frequently.
• Social distancing.
• If you have fever, cough bodyaches and difficulty in breathing, CONTACT THE DOCTOR.

If you must travel for personal reasons, practice the following precautions:

• Wear a face mask at all times when you are in contact with people.
• Avoid contact with people who are sick.
• Avoid animals (alive or dead), animal markets and products that come from animals (such as uncooked meat).
• Wash hands often with soap and water for 15-20 seconds. Use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol, if soap and water are not available.
• Older adults and travelers with underlying health issues may be at risk for more severe disease.

COVID positive patients can breastfeed the baby while observing few precautions:

• Hand hygiene before and after touching the baby.
• Mask should be worn while feeding the baby.
• Frequent hand washing and hand sanitization should be done.
• Routinely clean and disinfect surfaces.

No, regular washing of hands with soap and water provides more protection against COVID infection than wearing rubber gloves.

When going out for grocery shopping or for any other work:

• Maintain at least one metre distance from people.
• Keep wearing a mask at all times.
• Do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth.
• Frequent use of hand sanitizer should be done.
• Frequent hand washing with soap and water, if possible.
• Once home, thorough washing of hands and also after handling of grocery products.

• Fruits and vegetables should be washed thoroughly with water as in normal circumstances.
• Hand hygiene should be maintained at all times while handling food.

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Generally, children under 5 years of age should not be required to wear masks This is for the safety and overall interest of the child who cannot use a mask without direct supervision. However, if the child is in close vicinity of a sick person, in that case, mask should be worn under supervision of an adult.

Healthy children can wear fabric mask or non-medical mask as source control. One must make sure that the mask is of appropriate size for the child, covering nose, mouth and chin. Children who are compromised or have underlying lung conditions should wear medical masks after consultation with their doctors.

Masks should not be worn during physical activity like running, walking, playing sports, so it does not compromise their breathing.

Masks should not be worn during physical activity like running, walking, playing sports, so it does not compromise their breathing.