‘Vaccinated, healthy persons should attend to patients’

Srinagar:  As higher number of covid positive persons are in home isolation and care, their health condition should be monitored regularly and only vaccinated and healthy persons should attend to them following proper covid protocol like wearing of masks preferably N95 and using hand sanitizers etc said Dr Muzaffar Maqbool, Associate Professor, Medicine, Government Medical College, Srinagar.

“More than 80 percent covid positive patients who are either asymptomatic or with mild symptoms are being treated at home. However, it is imperative to keep watch on SPO2  level which should not fall below 93 percent,” he added.

In case, a patient feels difficulty in breathing or there is increase in fever, then patients should be taken to a nearby health institute or triage centre for screening and required treatment.

“The decrease in oxygen saturation, pain in chest and increase in fever demonstrate that it is the time for hospitalization of a patient”, Dr Muzaffar said. “Hospitalization of such patients at the right time will ensure recovery of the patient and delay in such situations may worsen the condition of the patient.”

He advised people that they should not take steroids on their own and persons with mild symptoms do not need to undergo CT scan. They should take healthy and nutritious diet besides keep themselves hydrated and take proper rest.

Patients in home isolation should be kept in a room with attached washroom facility so that there would be less contact with other family members. Only the vaccinated or young and healthy person should assume the role of a caregiver and attendant.

Those patients who are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms and are under home care can end isolation after 10 days only if health condition improves and no severe symptoms develop. However, if the condition deteriorates within five days after a covid positive person is put under home  care, the patient needs to be immediately admitted in a hospital for treatment.

Dr Muzaffar stated that utensils of the infected should be kept separate, the masks and other items used by them should be disposed properly and should not be thrown in open places. The room has to be sanitized and cleaned later to contain further spread of virus.

During the home isolation period, he said, a person need not panic or get stressed but it is better if they engage themselves in reading books, meditation and other exercises, he concluded.

Video goes viral; Police registers attempt to murder case; arrests 5 persons

Srinagar:  In a shocking incident, two men from Gujar community were attacked by hooligans in Jammu district on Thursday night when they were returning to their home with a pair of oxen they had purchased from a neighbouring village.

The video of the incident has gone viral on social media, evoking tremendous criticism and anger as blood could be seen oozing from the wounds of injured men.

Muhammad Siddiq and his cousin Amir Hussain of Gorda village in Jammu district were injured by hoodlums when they were returning to their home alongwith a pair of oxen they had purchased a few days ago.

“We were attacked by a group of hooligans when we were returning home alongwith a pair of oxen. We pleaded with them that we are not cattle traders but they did not listen and thrashed us mercilessly. We were beaten up savagely,” says Muhammad Siddiq.

“They police came later and rescued us from their clutches. On seeing our condition, they later took us to hospital.”

Both the injured are presently undergoing treatment at Government Medical College, Jammu.

The attack on Gujjar men triggered widespread condemnation from different quarters with political parties and activists from the tribal community seeking punishment for the accused.

Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir police has registered an FIR number 36/2021 under section 307, 341, 323,147 IPC against the hooligans.

“We have arrested five persons in connection with the incident,” an official said—(KNO)

Jammu: Government of Jammu & Kashmir is launching a live ‘phone-in’ programme on Gulistan Channel to address all the health related queries of people of J&K from tomorrow evening at 8.30 pm.

From Monday, May 10 onwards the programme will be telecast twice daily- from 8:30 am to 9 am and 8:30 pm to 9 pm on Gulistan News.

The programme will be coordinated by NHM, J&K and will have eminent doctors taking calls of the public on issues related to Covid treatment, home isolation and other non – Covid health related problems.

Public can call on the Divisional Control Room numbers- 0191-2520982, 2549676, 2674444, 2674115, 2674908 to ask questions and submit suggestions. A similar programme is to be launched on DD Kasheer  shortly.