India is once again witnessing a surge in Covid cases. However, fortunately, this time, the number of patients recovering is more than those getting infected. Furthermore, Covid patients with minor symptoms need not require hospitalisation. The majority of patients are recovering at home.
By becoming aware of the infection when our body is showing mild symptoms of Covid, we can avoid its serious consequences.
This will have two advantages. a) We will be able to avoid serious health hazards that Covid poses. b) It can reduce the burden of patients on hospitals so that the more serious one could be treated there.
Dr Vikas Bhatia, Director, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bibinagar, says that we have to exhibit caution and patience even in this wave of Covid. This time, more patients with mild and asymptomatic cases of Covid are being seen. If the family or any close relative’s Covid report is positive, separate oneself, a two to three-day fever can be healed with simple precautions. Even if you are found to be infected, there is no need to fear; simply recognise your symptoms and follow the government’s revised home isolation rules.
During the second wave of Covid, it was seen that even patients with mild symptoms of Covid got panicked and admitted themselves to hospitals for treatment. This resulted in the unavailability of beds for more serious patients.
Dr Bhatia says that if patients with mild symptoms or asymptomatic patients follow the guidelines issued by the government at home instead of going to the hospital, then seriously infected patients will be able to get hospital beds. This will reduce the burden on hospitals. He further said that for the last one and a half years, an appeal is being made to follow the Covid-appropriate behaviour.
Most of the people have now got used to abiding by the Covid appropriate behaviour.
We have to follow the same behaviour as before. Leave the house only when it is necessary, wash your hands regularly with soap and follow social distancing, avoid going to crowded places, whenever you go out of the house, cover the face with the mask properly.
Even when entering the house from outside, keep in mind that the objects that came in contact should be sanitised, keep changing the mask regularly. Our Covid appropriate behaviour of preventing infection will keep us safe this time as well.
