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Amid rising cases, health experts say that hospitals should start running COVID OPDs and doctors should start wearing full PPE kits
Amid rising COVID-19 cases in India, a top health expert suggests that there should be restrictions to stop the further spread of cases.
Renowned pulmonologist Dr Pawan Kumar Mangla also suggested that the time has come for hospitals to start running COVID OPDs. He also said that doctors should start wearing PPE kits.
Speaking to The New Indian, Dr Mangla said, “COVID is mild, although the infectivity is high and almost all the patients are maintaining their oxygen level. Most of the patients who have a sore throat and fever are turning out to be COVID-positive. However, there are no restrictions.”
Pointing at the lackadaisical attitude of the people, the Head of the Department of Pulmonary at Moolchand Hospital said, “Most of these patients who come to my OPD with fever do not bother to take a COVID test despite being aware that they have caught the virus.”
“Not only that, they don’t wear a mask while visiting doctors for consultation and roam around in OPDs, putting everyone at risk,” he added.
“The strictness in our society is not there. There is no restriction on COVID patients. Even if they are positive, they expect the doctors to see them in person. That is what is happening. They will neither disclose nor get the tests done,” Dr Mangla laments.
“I think there should be instructions that hospitals should start running COVID OPDs so that as and when anybody is coming with symptoms, they should be seen by the resident doctors who are in full PPE kit,” Dr Mangla said.
“There is no safety for doctors. I think a lot of doctors are becoming positive and are going on leave. At times, hospitals are facing a shortage of doctors and it becomes very difficult to manage,” Dr Mangla said.
Talking about the trend of the virus, Dr Mangla said, “We are not giving any antivirals to these patients. Most of them are getting better in 7 to 10 days.”
“I think the deaths that are occurring are due to comorbidities such as diabetes and hypertension. The elderly need to be careful. Only if the oxygen level drops do we give antivirals. Otherwise, we are just treating them as viral fever,” he added.
India reported 9111 new cases recorded in the last 24 hours, taking the active caseload to 60313 according to the union health ministry. The daily positivity rate was recorded at 8.40 per cent.
Twenty-seven deaths, including three reconciled deaths in Kerala have been reported in the last 24 hours.
Delhi, on Sunday, recorded 1634 fresh COVID-19 cases with a 29.68 per cent positivity rate.
