Hyderabad: The entire world is reeling under the corona scare which has left more 16 million infected. In view of the coronavirus outbreak, people want to know about its symptoms and treatments. In this regard, Prof Vijay V Yadavendu, an Epidemiologist of Illinois University, Chicago spoke to ETV Bharat on various aspects of COVID-19.
Prof Yadavendu said, "This virus is showing its effect on Oxygen content in the blood. Hence, whether there are virus symptoms or not, one should get an oxygen percentage in the body."
"The dreaded disease, which is shaking the world, is also attacking Oxygen levels in the blood. People should be watchful about this. If the Oxygen levels fall drastically, there is a potential danger of the affected collapsing. It is also making the blood to coagulate. This causes more dangers. In India, the number of cases may be increasing. But as compared with the others, the situation is better here, in the prevention of the spread of the disease," Prof Yadavendu informed.
"Normally, it has to be between 90 and 95 millimetres in the blood. But if goes lower than 85 % or still less, it is very problematic. In such situations, Oxygen has to be provided artificially. Otherwise, on some occasions, there is a danger of patient just collapsing," he said.
UK's effort has succeeded
UK doctors have identified that Oxygen levels in the virus affected are unpredictably getting lower and lower. They further recognised in such cases, in addition to providing them Oxygen, the use of a steroid named, Dexamethasone is yielding good results. This has to be used in the prescribed doses. Since this is a steroid, there could be severe side effects.
"If COVID symptoms surface, Rapid Antigen tests, RT PCR tests have to be conducted. In blood tests, Feratin tests should be conducted, which determines LDH, CRB, percentage of protein in the blood. It is quite common to get fevers in monsoon. Once, a person gets a fever, he need not be scared of getting corona. In this season, Dengue, Malaria fevers are also quite common. One has to get blood tests and take medicines under the supervision of doctors," he said.
"In some coronavirus affected persons, pneumonia is attacking. Italy doctors discovered that in some cases, lungs are getting filled completely with White Blood Cells. They could stop them with the use of medicines used for Rheumatoid Arthritis," he added.
"Because of this virus, the afflicted suffer due to inflammation. There will be swelling in the lungs. Suitable medicines have to be given for that. In some cases, rashes appear. Another more dangerous item is damage to the blood vessels. When this happens, in addition to medicines, blood thinners for diluting the blood should be given, which may save a life. Paralysis can be prevented. UK doctors have noticed that the problem of coagulation in the blood vessels is also noticed even in the youth," he further added.
Indians have more immunity: Prof Yadavendu
National Health Services experts of UK confirmed that as earlier presumed, there is not much use with Hydroxy Chloroquine tablets. Currently, their use is almost on the wane. They were used in the USA for some days very extensively. But it was realised that they were not yielding results. The chief reason for so many cases registering in the USA is a delay in responding to the challenge.
The travel to and from between America-China, China-Europe, Europe-America is more than the traffic between India and China. The virus has entered into America on a large scale through several routes. In view of the delay in identifying its intensity, the loss is heavy. But the situation in India is somewhat different. As compared with the citizens of other countries, Indians have more resistance. That is what is protecting the proliferation of the virus.
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