New Delhi: Dr. Praveen Gupta, a renowned, pediatrician and general physician in west Delhi, Nangloi area is serving people all over from Delhi since last 20 years. During this current covid pandemic he has seen a lot of covid positive patients in his OPD and studied the signs and symptoms of around 1000 patients during last one month and observed some facts which he wants to share with general public and his medico friends.
- In the current pandemic consider every patient who is presenting with flu-like symptoms of even one day to be Covid positive and ask them to isolate and get Rt-pcr done
- Covid infection was more common in males. The male to female ratio was 70:30
- In around 15-20 % of patient’s pneumonia sets in as early as 4th day from 1st day of symptom [ in 2020 covid wave pneumonia occurred mostly after 6-8 days of illness]
- The most vulnerable age group was 30-50 years of age
- Common complaints of the male group on 5th day onwards of diseases presenting to my clinic was fever, cough and weakness with or without difficulty in breathing and CT SCORE was around 10-15/25 in most of the patients on Day 6-8
- While females presented with more of low-grade fever, body ache, fatigue, loss of taste and nausea [high-grade fever was not common in females after 3 days of illness]
- Loss of taste started on Day 5 of illness and lasted for around 12-15 days [in 2020 loss of smell was more common]
- Males suffered more of pneumonia and hypoxemia as compared to the female group
- Rt PCR was unreliable in around 20% of patients as it was negative on the 3rd or 4th day but patients were symptomatic and confirmed by inflammatory markers and CT CHEST on day 5 or day 6
- Use of optimum dose of steroids in the early phase of pneumonia was very beneficial and lifesaving
- Around 10 percent of the patient presented with severe pain in the epigastrium along with fever on 3rd day of illness [more in females]
- The patients above 60 were not very sick and did well during treatment and very few of them hospitalized [ last year mortality was very high in the old age group]
- If fever persists beyond 5 days then by using steroids u can save a lot of patients from hypoxia
- Most of vaccinated patients got Covid infection from vaccination center itself or they were in incubation period while taking vaccine.
Most of them made excuses that they had consumed cold drinks or juices that’s why they had sore throat or fever. But by this time, they had already spread the virus in their family. So like this, a chain reaction was taking place and we were getting more and more cases day by day.
Next reason of rising cases was that people were treating themselves with self-medications, not getting isolated and following their relative’s prescription instead of consulting a doctor.
Rt-pcr test was negative in many cases may be because the test has been done in very early phase of disease or sample collection or laboratory error. So, if you test negative for corona but still symptoms persist then you should consult a doctor.
Nowadays everyone knows that Steroids are lifesaving drugs in corona infection, but please don’t take steroids on your own, let your treating doctor decide it. In case of not getting better don’t hesitate to take a second opinion.
Dr. Praveen Gupta also advice and make a humble request to each and every one that don’t neglect any flu like symptoms, isolate yourself as soon as you get the symptoms and consult a doctor, wear mask and maintain social distance.
Most of the covid vaccinated adults who got corona positive recovered well without any serious symptoms.
Last and most important is get your covid vaccination done by registering yourself on Cowin app.
Be safe, stay safe and together make india corona free.
Dr. Praveen Gupta can be reached at: drpraveen76@gmail.com
