Have COVID-19 but can’t find a hospital bed? These tips from medical experts may save you

Do you have COVID-19 but can’t find a hospital bed? We’ve compiled a few tips from medical experts that may save you. With an average 2.5 lakh+ cases COVID-19 cases every day, India’s total tally of caseload has reached 1,53,26,274. India has already surpassed Brazil in terms of the total cases so far and is inching towards surpassing USA too.

Due to such large number of cases appearing every day, the health infrastructure of our country is stretched beyond its limits. In the past few weeks, states like Delhi have complained about lack of beds and oxygen.

In such a condition, it may be hard for people who are tested positive for COVID-19 to find a hospital bed. For such patients, we’ve compiled together a list of tips and insights given by medical experts using which they can manage their disease at home.

Lt. General Dr. Ved Chaturvedi, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi:

Lt. General Dr. Ved Chaturvedi, Head of Department of Rheumatology at Sri Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi gave some insights as well. He mentioned how since the past week there have been a lot of patients who came to his hospitals for bed but were sent away as there were not available. So, for such cases he said that he has some suggestions a patient can adhere to while they keep looking for hospital beds.

“Get an oximeter, self-isolate”: Dr. Chaturvedi to patients with mild symptoms.

For patients with mild to low symptoms, the person should self-isolate at home. They should keep tracking their oxygen level and thus, it’s imperative to keep an oximeter at home.

“Sleep on your stomach few hours”

According to Dr. Chaturvedi, if the oxygen saturation level goes down below 94, a patient should start sleeping on their stomach. Usually, we sleep with on our backs, but if a patient is not getting enough oxygen, they should start sleeping on their stomachs which would help expand their lungs. This should be practiced for 2 hours, thrice a day.

“Get an oxygen cylinder or oxygen concentrator at home”

If that doesn’t help then Dr. Chaturvedi suggested to get oxygen cylinder at home or get an oxygen concentrator. An oxygen concentrator is a device which uses the atmosphere’s air and converts it to breathable oxygen. Although it’s a little expensive, it can be made use of if the oxygen levels are dropping.

“Get a CT Scan done, seek teleconsultation from doctors in locality”

If the condition still persists, then the patients must go to a diagnostic center and get a CT scan done. If the results of the CT scan come out as moderate, then the patient must continue with the same course of action.

However, if they are severe, they should seek teleconsultation from a doctor in their locality for medications. While the doctor will prescribe you medications that you will take orally, hospital will administer the same medicines in the form of an IV. For moderate to low symptomatic patients, a bed at home can be as good as hospital.

Dr. Vikramjeet Singh, Aakash Healthcare

Meanwhile, Aakash Healthcare’s Senior Consultant Dr. Vikramjeet Singh spoke to a leading Indian news platform and shared his insights. According to him, patients with mild symptoms don’t need a bed at hospital. They should continue isolating at home. While those with moderate symptoms should consult with their doctors on phones and start taking medications. These patients should also keep an oxymeter and if their oxygen saturation drops, they must get an oxygen cylinder at home.

Dr. Madhu Pai, Canada Research Chair of Epidemiology, Canada

Meanwhile, Professor & Canada Research Chair of Epidemiology & Global Health, Dr. Madhu Pai also took to Twitter and shared a few pragmatic tips for managing COVID-19 at home: