Dr Gordon Rangad, Medical Superintendent, Nazareth Hospital has answered some of the questions which people have asked when they call the Counselling Centre.
Depending on the situation, recommendations may change from time to time since the disease has come very rapidly and is constantly changing.
How do we catch the COVID-19 virus?
How does it spread to other people?
We can catch the virus from a positive patient who may or may not be symptomatic, therefore use of a mask and social distancing are the best tools we have to prevent spread of this virus. It may also be contracted from touching surfaces that have been contaminated by the virus, therefore wash your hands frequently or use a hand sanitiser and clean the most commonly touched surfaces at home and work with a sanitiser or soap and water.
What are the steps I’m supposed to take if I’ve been to Bethany Hospital and develop symptoms at home?
If you have been to Bethany Hospital since the 22nd of March, the government guidelines are clear, quarantine yourself strictly at home and inform 108. Do not wait for the symptoms to start, because by then you may spread the virus to other members of your family and others too. If however, you have developed symptoms, immediately inform 108/ 1070, and tell them when you were at Bethany and that you have developed symptoms.
A lot of people say that this virus is like a flu. How do I treat it at home? Some say Paracetamol is enough to cure it.
Yes, the virus does cause a flu-like illness and is very difficult to differentiate from it. The only way we can do it is by using very sensitive tests that differentiate the virus from others causing similar illnesses. As of now, there is no treatment for the virus.
However, it is important to keep in mind that 80% of the population develop mild symptoms and do not need to be hospitalised. Of the remaining 20%, only 5% need ICU care. In these 20% who need hospitalisation, the overwhelmingly largest group are those that are at risk.
What are the risk factors?
* Age > 60 years
* Pre-existing heart disease
* Diabetes
* Hypertension
* COPD or other chronic lung ailments
* Kidney and liver disease
* Cancer
* Immuno-suppression due to any cause, etc.
Paracetamol helps in relieving fever and body ache. It does not lead to cure from the infection.Along withParacetamol, your doctor may prescribe other drugs such as cough syrup etc for you to take at home. Please do not self-medicate. It is better to take medications prescribed by a doctor.
When should I be worried about my symptoms? Do I need to go to a hospital? Whom should I call?
Call 108
What are the symptoms that you should be looking for?
* Fever, cough, difficulty in breathing
* Body ache, stomach upset, loss of smell and/ or taste, etc.
There are only two reasons as of now for hospitalisation. The first is difficulty in breathing and second is if you have any of the risk factors mentioned above. In the second reason, that is risk factors, even if you have mild disease, it is advisable to mention the same to 108 and go to a hospital.
We live in a very small house and we share a common bathroom. How do we practise self-isolation? Is this different from quarantine?
Self isolation is a form of quarantine that occurs at home or your place of dwelling.
If you have a small house, it is not easy to do so. The best course of action is to inform 108/ 1070, and tell them what your situation is like. Request for admission to a Corona Care Centre.
If the above is not possible, sleep on a separate bed, at least 6 feet away from everyone. Wear a mask at all times. Avoid speaking directly to any family member, try to employ a barrier between you and the member. Eat separately and wash your own plate and hands thoroughly using soap and water.
Latest studies say that this form of quarantine in a small house with other family members is not suitable. A Coronary Care Centre is better.
We live in a small house and our family member is working with the government who has to report to work, should we be worried as we don’t know how to isolate
No, there is no reason to be worried. When the person goes to work, he/she must use a mask and socially distance themselves from others while performing their work. Wash hands with soap and water frequently.
What is PPE? Everyone is talking about it nowadays. Do I need it?
PPE is an acronym for Personal Protective Equipment. This refers to the coverings that we employ to protect anyone in close contact with a known or suspected patient.
It includes a hood, goggles, a mask which may be of different types depending on the risk, a face shield, a full body gown, shoe covers and gloves which may be up to 3 pairs at a time depending on what the person needs to do.
As a member of the public, you do not need it. A mask, hand sanitiser/ soap and water and social distancing are all that are required. Maintain these in the best possible way and remind others around you to do the same.
Avoid spitting indiscriminately. Remember this is good manners and not just because of the virus.
A staff from Bethany Hospital was present at a social gathering with me.
Should I be worried?
No, you do not need to be worried, unless you were in close contact with the person for a prolonged period of time (approx. > 10 minutes). Close contact would mean that you were within 1 m of that individual without a mask or you hugged, kissed or shook hands with an individual who is infected. You may try to find out the whetherthat person tested positive or negative for COVID 19 which would require you to go into self quarantine.
I shared a meal with a person who has been a visitor to Bethany Hospital, should I be worried?
No, you needn’t be worried unless the person was in close contact with a known positive case.
If I face other ailments apart from fever, cough and I need medication, but the police won’t allow me. What do I do?
First and foremost, carry your prescription with you and if you are refused permission, call 108/1070 and explain the problem calmly, do not panic. If the situation is an emergency, the police will not obstruct you.You can be transported to the nearby hospital on 108 ambulances also.
One of my family members have come back from an affected state / Bethany Hospital. Can I catch the virus by washing her clothes/dishes?
No, washing of dishes does not pose a hazard, if a few precautions are taken. Wear a mask and gloves and wash the dishes thoroughly with soap and running water.
First, do not shake or agitate the clothes excessively. Soak the clothes in hot water and ordinary detergent if you do not have a washing machine. If you use a washing machine, set the water temperature to 60- 90 degrees Celsius. Use a mask and gloves. Dry out the clothes thoroughly, preferably in the sun.
I work at a bank. One of the staffs/relatives of the Bethany Hospital came and had contact with me. What do I do?
Did you maintain social distancing? If yes, then there is no worry. If you were in close contact for a prolonged time then it would be advisable to inform 108 and practise self-quarantine.
I want to be responsible citizen and I want to reduce the transmission chances. Please give me some advice so I can practice (i) individually, (ii) as a member of a family, (iii) as a member of a closed compound/apartment.
The best way you can do this is by socially distancing yourself from others whether it is on a personal basis, as a family member or as a member of a closed compound. If you are a suspect then quarantineyourself and maintain precautions mentioned earlier.
Wear a mask at all times. Do not spit.
Do not take part in religious gathering/ congregation
I want to get tested because it will give me peace of mind if my result is negative. Should I do this?
Testing for the disease is a science. The test will turn positive only after the virus is present in sufficient quantities in the mucous membranes of your naso-pharynx and oro-pharynx. The virus will remain in those secretions for a variable amount of time, but is usually negative after about 3 weeks. Therefore testing for the disease at the right time is important. Testing at the wrong time can lead to false sense of security if found to be negative.
In addition, there are two types of tests available, RT PCR, which is a high-end and very sensitive test and Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs) which check for antibodies produced by your body against the virus. There are various ways to interpret these RDTs. The samples used for these tests are also different. Naso-pharyngeal and oro-pharyngeal swabs for the first and blood/ plasma/ serum for the second.
Finally, you can be tested only if you fulfil certain criteria that has been laid down by the government and scientific agencies. Indiscriminate testing of every citizen may drain our valuable resources
I have a new-born baby. I just visited Bethany Hospital. Can I still breastfeed my child?
In view of the information we have, if you do not have any symptoms, it is safe to breast feed your child after you have washed your hands and breasts with soap and water.
If you have symptoms, first thing is to use a mask. You can breastfeed with frequent washing with soap and water of your hands and breasts.
What do I do if there are other medical emergencies which are unrelated to the virus? For example, my father needs a dialysis, or my mother has some heart conditions which will need immediate medical care.
You can visit any hospital that has the facilities to treat your family member for the same. If there is any problemthat you face, call 108/1070.
There is a lockdown/curfew and I have a medical emergency. However, the police /shnong stopped me fromgoing because I’ll violate the curfew or lock down. How do I convince them or whom do I call?
As mentioned earlier, explain the urgency of the situation and if necessary ask them to see the patient after they have masked themselves, employed social distancing and proper hand washing.
If there is still a problem, call 108/1070 and explain the problem calmly and follow their instructions.
These days, there are a lot of forwarded messages, screenshots, videos, etc. How do I confirm their credibility?
Never believe everything that you see or read on social media. Some of it will be true, but most of this information is false or partially false and not based on fact. It is very difficult to sort out the true from the false. In view of this, wait for press releases from the concerned authorities in the government.
A person just passed away due to the virus and he/she is very close to me. Can I attend the funeral? If yes, how do I protect myself. If no, may I know the reason why?
No, it is advisable to stay away despite the difficulty in doing so and the emotional bonds involved. The reason for this is that there may be other positive persons who are from the immediate family. They may pose a risk of infection to others around them.
Emotional reactions that happen during a death/ burial are part of human nature. This may lead to acts of love/ kindness involving hugging, crying, etc., which pose a risk to others. This is a very sensitive issue we are dealing with and we understand the frustrations, anger, sadness involved. However for the interests of all it is safer to follow what is mentioned above.
Should we count 21 days from the time we met with someone from Bethany or from the day the first case was declared?
No, 14 days from the time of your contact is the accepted period as of now. To be absolutely sure and if it is practical, 28 days may be accepted.
At what point do we know we have to report for testing because we’ve been told to just observe our symptoms and isolate
As mentioned earlier, development of ANY symptoms, especially breathlessness is when you will have to report. Further instructions will be given to you.
If I’m stepping out of the house for groceries and take 3 to 4 hours to get my essentials, should I change my mask to another instead of breathing from the same one exposed. Is there a process for that of can I use the same mask while I’m out for the day?
You can use the same mask. It is safe as long as it does not get damp/ wet with breath, not sweat. If you are using a home-made mask and it has become wet/ damp, soak the mask in hot water and detergent and wash and then dry thoroughly. If you are using a shop bought mask, discard and do not re-use.
The government’s home quarantine rules mention that it is a surgical mask that is to be worn and changed after 6-7 hours.
