Countering Covid - home medication tips, What to do and what to avoid ..

When the deaths globally due to Covid has reached 7,50,000 (0.75 million) and infections aound 21 million, as of 13 August 2020, this writing points out the symptoms to look out for, the things to do and the things to avoid. I got this piece of advice from Dr. Danish Salim, from PNR Memorial hospital, Trivandrum, Kerala, India. I found it very sensible, useful and effective, that is why I thought of writing it down as a blog to be shared among people of the world.

As of 13 August 2020, of the 21 million infections globally from January 2020 (ie. about 0.27% of global population of 7800 million), approximately 14 million have recovered globally from this infection (66% recovery rate), 6.4 million are undergoing treatment and 64,000 in critical condition (app 1%), all the indications point out that infections are not going to abate any soon.

The Indian government has stopped admitting Covid patients in hospitals as the hospital facilities are getting overwhelmed and has requested them to undergo home isolation and home treatment if the situation is not severe. They have been asked to go to hospitals only if the situation is critical and serious.  

Tips on home medication

1. Daily temp check, if it is > 101 deg Fahrenheit, take 600 mg Paracetamol every 6 hours.

        For children it can be around 15 mg per kg of body weight.    

2. If one experiences diarrhoea, take an Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) pack and mix it in a litre of water, take as many times, even once every 4 hours.

3. If one experiences dry cough, steam inhalation is advised, again every four hours or may be even more frequently.

 

When to go to hospital

1. if one has productive cough, ie. phlegm comes out

2. check heart pulse, if it is more than 120 beats per minute

3. while lying on bed, if the stomach rises and falls more than 30 times in a minute

4. if on pressing the skin on your fingers, on releasing if the blood does not flow back to the pressed area in less than 2 seconds

5. losing consciousness 

6. if skin turns blue around the hands, legs, tongue, nose and ear

 

At home, what all are the activities to cary out - To-Do list

1. take 3-4 litres of water daily

2. eat balanced diet with 65% carbohydrates, 15% fat and 35% proteins

3. take fruits with enough of Vit C, papaya, orange, berries, guava

4. for Vitamin A - take enough of carrot, beetroot, milk, curd, eggs

5. for vitamin D - get enough of sunlight, before 11 AM and after 3 PM, have high fat fish like sardines

6. exercise daily or do yoga exercises daily for good blood circulation

7. practice meditation to bring down stress levels

8. have minimum of 8 hrs sleep so that the body produces enough of cytokines that improves body immunity to foreign agents entering the body

 

At home. - What to avoid

1. smoking cigarettes

2. drinking liquor (click here for a WHO doc on why you need to abstain from alchohol, especially during this period)

3. junk foods like burgers, and Maida based food like parotta etc

4. stressful talk and actions, as the Cortisol released lowers the body immunity

5. sweetened soft drinks

These tips and directions can help us tide over this Covid season with confidence and renewed energy, optimism and enthusiasm.

Good Luck everybody ..

George ..