As we all know, Corona Virus, A.K.A. Covid-19 is an infectious respiratory disease, that has been declared as a ‘Pandemic’ by W.H.O. Currently, the world is fighting against this invisible enemy, which is threatening each and every person, costing their lives, economy, productivity, and much more.
This pandemic has cost us millions of dollars and every Government has geared up to combat the pandemic with proactive measures in line with global approaches and guidelines. Talking to the readers of Just A Library, is Dr. Ramkumar, from a Govt. owned hospital in Chennai, India working shifts in the corona ward, who has magnanimously agreed to throw light on some queries we all have, if and how to live with coronavirus without getting infected by it.
WHY ARE THE CASES SUDDENLY RISING IN CHENNAI?
Chennai has become a hotspot and daily records the highest number of cases in Tamil Nadu. A city that makes everyone’s life better (vantharai vazhavaikum nagaram) has turned into a massive cluster of corona cases and people are fleeing from Chennai. So why did Chennai get many cases when compared to other districts?
The first reason is the huge population (70.9 lakh as of 2011 data). Even though the population is less compared to Bengaluru or Mumbai, the problem in Chennai city is overcrowding, especially in North Chennai. Lack of awareness about the virus and taking lesser precautions while going out are the major causes of transmitting the virus.
TREATMENT AT GOVERNMENT/PRIVATE HOSPITAL
First and foremost, readers should know that the cost of treatment for the coronavirus is absolutely free in Govt hospitals and corona care centers. Govt has taken measures to make sure that food safety is provided round the clock to its citizens who have been infected and admitted to the Govt hospitals. A list of healthy food including dried nuts, sundal, kadalai, soup, egg, chicken, and kabasura kudeneer is being given to the patients to promote and boost their immunity.
Treatment at private hospitals is done to ensure that adequate beds are available for all the people and the Govt has introduced Fees slab so that there won’t be fee cheating in terms of treatment for the patients.
WHY INDIAN POPULATION IS MOSTLY ASYMPTOMATIC:
Well, it is a blessing in disguise. Thanks to the common resident bacteria and the virus dwelling in our country along with us, infecting our children and adults, thereby providing us an acquired immunity. That acquired immunity gained by repeated infection is providing us the shield right now; resisting the coronavirus from infecting our body. This is a hypothesis, but now widely accepted by researchers.
Another reason is the widespread BCG vaccination which is being given to all the children as soon as they are born and the endemicity of malaria infection has provided us the adequate immunity to cross-react with the virus. Lastly, high temperature and humidity are indirectly helping in cutting the link for the transmission of the virus.
EVEN THOUGH SWAB NEGATIVE, CT SCAN SHOWS SIGNS OF INFECTION FOR SOME. WHY?
The PCR (Polymerase chain reaction), a common swab test done to detect coronavirus antigen may sometime show false negative (test result negative but the patient is positive for the virus).
This is because of specimen quality and the viral load. The test done to extract the sample is painful and may initiate a powerful cough and sometimes choking sensation as the swab is introduced to the back of the nose and throat, because of that, improper sampling is highly possible.
Next is the viral load, the test will detect the antigen if the viral load is more, so it may show negative when the viral load is few in numbers.
This creates a huge community problem as the person will be tested negative but still harbors the virus and may dangerously transmit the virus to the community. Such types of patients should be subjected to a repeat test and should be placed under quarantine.
If the patient develops symptoms, they should be given additional tests like X-Ray and CT Scan of the chest to rule out the viral pathology in the lungs.
TREATMENT PROTOCOLS
Asymptomatic patients do not require any treatment. What they need are adequate bed rest and strict home quarantine. The Officers from the Corporation of Chennai daily visits them at their doorstep to enquire about the symptoms and the doctors examine the health of the patient.
If the patient’s oxygen level starts to decrease, they are immediately admitted for oxygen care. If he/she develops breathlessness, the patient is ventilated and given advanced life support in the hospital.
EFFECT OF CHLOROQUINE ON CORONA VIRUS:
There is a lot of controversies whether hydroxychloroquine will protect against the virus. Recently, India shifted lakhs of hydroxychloroquine to the United States and other countries.
So is HCQ really protective? Once again, not enough studies available, and lots of researches are going on to prove the effectiveness of HCQ on coronavirus. Hydroxychloroquine has mild antiviral properties and immune-modulatory activity which can limit the spread of the virus in the body and can resist the severity of the infection.
CAN A PERSON GET REINFECTED WITH THE VIRUS AFTER GETTING CURED?
A person once infected with the virus will develop immunity so that when the same person is infected again, he/she will develop immunity to combat the virus and the symptoms will be minimal or mild or no symptoms than the previous infection. Since the person develops immunity in their body, the chance of getting reinfected is less but the risk is always there, so precautions should be taken even if the person is cured for the coronavirus before.
PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES:
What the general public should know is how can we protect ourselves from the coronavirus without affecting our day-to-day life. The coronavirus has changed our routines immensely and at this time people should start to live their life along with the virus as the virus will not leave us in the near future.
- Stop traveling for vacation/tourist places.
- Stop greeting people by handshake instead greet with folded hands.
- Start wearing a mask when you go out for the market, public place, etc.
- Wash your hands thoroughly for 20 seconds with normal soap or handwash frequently.
- Stop touching the mouth, nose, eyes often.
- Maintain social distancing when traveling in public transport, holy places, etc.
- Clean groceries, vegetables with turmeric water, and nicely wash it before cooking it.
- Drink lots of water and eat well; Have a protein-rich diet, vitamin supplements.
- Drink kabasura sura kudineer twice a week, Vitamin C supplements to boost immunity.
- And lastly, follow all the advice our Govt tells us and be responsible citizens.
Wearing a mask will protect from the virus (98%) than without a mask. So by wearing a mask and maintaining the social distancing, together we all can stop corona and drive it out of our lives and this world.
Let’s gear up and brace ourselves for the New Normal!
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A better picture! However, I wish to point out reports that reinfection leads to more serious problems, including death.
Good and informative one
Glad to hear it. Keep supporting!!
Very eloquently put sir. Thank you for sharing this information with us.
Thanks for your kind words. Do check out other posts too. Keep supporting!!
Contains lot of new information for the public
Thanks for your kind words 😁. Keep supporting.
Amazing article by DR. B RAM KUMAR
It was very much informative SIR
Waiting for more articles from you sir
By Your’s favourite Student
Amazing article by DR. B RAM KUMAR
It was very much informative SIR
Waiting for more articles from you sir
By Your’s favourite Student
Informative article sir…hope all will try to follow the precautions u have said sir😇
Very nice information about corona transmission
Thank you Sir
Good informative sir!!! Thanks to you 😊
Sir it is such an informative article and clearly explained about everything regarding corona .
Waiting for more articles from you sir
Informative👍
Very informative one sir… Thanks for giving clarity abt some prevailing doubts too sir (like hydroxy chloroquine and secondary infection)… Thank you sir…
Very informative and useful sir….thank you sir😊
High yield informative article shedding light upon the fact that the old age adage ” prevention is better than cure” stands up for corona stands a testament for the significance of public education as part of health promotion measures. Further with delving into problems of over crowding, high rates of false positive besides discouraging self use of HCQ and breaking a common urban tale that corona is a once a lifetime sickness, shows time and again why besides the treatment measures (health for the people), awareness and actions about oneself as well as surrounding(health by the people) is significant any time with increased emphasis during pandemics.
Thanks a lot for the diligently penned out article sir. Crisp and crystal clear as ever in times of crises.
Well explained in a simple way sir!! Much needed one..Thank you sir😇
Must read for all . Thanks a lot sir for sharing the actual treatment protocol and about the Do s and Don’t s to be followed..
Sir this article was very informative and also crisp and to the point
It really covered all the doubts in the mind of people!
Thanks a lot for sharing this article sir😊
Great work sir, I really thank you for this clear article!! Neatly explained in a simple way..
Wow very nice blog . Glad to see doctor s giving detailed information about various topics .
This article serves as a medium for common people to know more about the treatment and how actually government Hospitals are providing quality treatment and doctors like Ram Kumar are working selfless and committed to serve humanity. Of course we are still with hope we can get over this situation with people like this . Gives a detailed insight to food people must follow during this time and hope atlest now people are aware.
The article is well written. Covers all areas concerned with COVID 19. Hot climate preventing spread? Is it proved ??
So informative one sir💪….nice work sir😊
Thought provoking article on corona. It is an eye opener to create spontaneous awareness to all. Simple but exemplary.
Raaami v nice n informative article
Great n proud of your first article keep writing more articles all d best….😃😍looking forward in your style.
Good one Sir, this article is as simple as your lectures!!!
Keep Going Sir and post more articles 🙂
Despite being a medical student, even I wasn’t aware of some of the details you’ve said sir. It was quite informative.
Despite being a medical student, I wasn’t aware quite a lot of details you’ve told sir. It was quite informative. Good job Dr. Ramkumar sir.
I know Dr.ramkumar is one of the excellent teacher/doctor and he has worked in Corona ward. This article is an eye opener and this will have a huge impact on the general public. Simple English and subject well penned down.
Dr.J.Senthil kumar MBBS,MD,D.Ortho,FCD
Chief civil surgeon
Govt Stanley medical college
Read the article by Dr.Ramkumar. We are facing one of the worse situation and the entire world is affected by it. But the same Corona virus has made us an complete life changeover. Excellent article by Dr.Ramkumar’ expecting more from him.
Article kindles the awareness among public and avoids unnecessary fear about disease. Timely message to the public. Nice one.
Well explained in simple way .keep rocking sir 👍
Thank you for explaining about the crisis. Excellent articlr sir
Lot of new info sir..hope people will follow the precautions u have said sir
Very good and more informative sir👏👏👏👏👏
Well explained sir.. Excellent article Ram kumar sir..
Wonderful article sir,informative and precise………..keep rocking as always sir
👍🏼 well explained sir
Very nicely written and well explained.
Very Much Informative sir🧠! Great Article sir🔥! We want more articles from u sir!
Useful , informative, and in a nutshell
Beautifully put sir. Couldn’t have made things clearer.
Very informative sir
Nice one sir. Almost all doubts got cleared. Great work.
Awesome excellent explanation sir…..today only I got to know some idea about Corona by ur valuable explanation sir…….ur service and hard work will soon pay off sir🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Very good explanation and presentation by author and dr.ramkumar
Thank you sir for the information, hope everybody will follow the precautions after reading this article
Thank you sir, hope everyone will follow the precautions after reading this article
Inspite of all the repeated advice given before by various people, the advice with a clear cut reason inspires people with a matter of fear growing in them and help them start thinking the seriousness of this prevailing crisis. One such cleared explanatory advice is yours sir… I think this could be published in all the social media as well as all the media where even the poorest can get to know the info can get nourished with these values and advice… It’s very hard for all the doctors to treat the patients with shutting all the odds and bumps they have all day, but it is really important to wake people and avoid them hitting the hospital. Since our motherland had payed a way for us not making the death counts higher, it is not taken for granted that we don’t follow these rules. These are something to be followed and very important… Really a great work sir. Proud to be a student of yours and it is my duty to even more make people awake about the crisis as much as I can sir. Having time to explain as much these explanatory additional to the service u render deserves a great salute. Literally an awesome work sir.
A very much needed article explained in a reachable way..thank you sir..!!
Very informative piece of blog sir … Much needed article for the public. All the basics of Corona pandemic demographics explained crystal clear… Amazing work, keep it up sir
It was an effective article sir! Hope this article reaches the public, recognise our efforts and follow preventive measures.
It is very informative,self explanatory precautionary measures noted are amazing which inspired me a lot,keep shining Dr Ram
Very informative sir
All the facts have been put in a simple understandable way for the public….
A Must read for all!
Very informative sir…
All the facts essential for the public has been put in a simple and easily understandable way.
A must read for all!
Succinct and to the point! Thank you so much for the valuable information sir! 😁
Very informative sir..
All the facts essential for the public have been put in a simple and an easily understandable way.
A must read for all!!
Good evening sir. Very informative and a much needed one. Thank you for throwing light on many questions and doubts that we all had. Looking forward for more medical content from your side sir.
Insightful and useful.
Amazing sir. Informative and insightful
Thanks to the doctor for sharing the care given in the govt hospitals to covid patients 👍
Congratulations to Dr.Ramkumar for sharing on Covid19 with easy understandable narration. I am very Happy n proud.
Congratulations. Very good narration on Covid19 . Easily understandable. Protection from Covid19 the only way as of now as Dr.Ramkumar explained. I am very much proud of having Dr. Ramkumar as my loving son-in-law. Wishing him all the Best & expecting more articles, updates from him.
Dr. Ram Kumar has described it in a simple and effective manner about the effect of Virus, its treatment and especially the precautionary measures to be taken and reason why the Indian population is usually asymptomatic. Doctor, eager to know about the use of Dexamethasone in the treatment of Corona
A very informative blog. Written in simple English, understandable by all. An excellent and insightful compilation of points
need of the hour. excellent write up sir very informative and explained in simple language sir hats off
Wonderfully explained sir. More civilians need to read this 🙂