The Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak has taken over the world and has put the world in crisis! During these difficult and testing times, we need to be together and do our best to fight this pandemic. The World Health Organization (WHO) has advised people to use hand sanitizers and take precautions. The National Government has ordered us to stay at home and maintain social distancing as much as possible.

This deadly virus that originated in Wuhan, China belongs to the species of respiratory illnesses that generally include the common cold, flu, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), and the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). Patients tend to exhibit Pneumonia-like symptoms, especially fever, cough, and difficulty in breathing. The symptoms of COVID-19 are initially similar to the common flu and as the virus spreads in your body the symptoms start to vary day-by-day.

The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are dry cough, fever, and shortness of breath. But as the number of cases has increased there are new symptoms that some patients experience. Researchers have started warning that one of the least common symptoms may be Diarrhea and other digestive issues such as vomiting, nausea, and abdominal pain. They believe that this may account for around 10% of the patients.

Recently, a lot of patients who were diagnosed with COVID-19 faced Gastrointestinal symptoms, as one of the initial signs of this illness. It was even proven that people with Digestive symptoms showed a need for medical care quite later compared to those with Respiratory symptoms. People with Digestive problems were in a severe state by the 16th day, whereas patients with Respiratory problems were affected by the 11th day. Those with Digestive symptoms also took more time to recover from the virus. There are also concerns that this group of patients may continue to shed the virus in their stools for longer and in the process account for further spread.

Digestive problems are very common in people and need not necessarily mean that a person is infected with COVID-19. But it is important to realize that sudden Digestive symptoms can be one of the initial stages of having a COVID-19 virus and you should try consulting the doctor. This is for your safety as well as for your family and the community.

If you have had severe Digestive symptoms for the past couple of days, you may likely be in the high-risk group. You should consult your doctor immediately. If possible, call ahead and book an appointment and let them know you’re on your way and you suspect the symptoms that may be related to COVID-19. With the ongoing situation, we advise you not to ignore any symptoms as this may cost you the lives of you and your nearest and dearest.

Dr Nagabhushan

Senior Consultant Gastrointestinal & Colorectal Surgeon, BGS Gleneagles Hospital

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author. They do not reflect the opinions or views of the organization.

People are taking all the recommended precautions and trying their best to stay safe and away from the coronavirus. It is hard to believe that we are dealing with a pandemic without any medication vaccine or treatment even with all the advancements made in the field of medicine. But as a doctor, I want to tell you that things take time. The spread of this virus was so rapid that the experts had no chance to get to the core of it. However, the research is still on. Things should start unravelling soon, but until then, it’s only wise to stick to the measures proposed by the authorities.

All the measures like washing hands, using sanitizers, staying indoors, etc. are quite clear, but I see people confused or unsure about the usage of masks and gloves. First things first, the general public does not need to wear a surgical mask. Please save them for the medical professionals as there’s a scarcity of them. A normal, clean cotton mask will be good enough, and also reduce land pollution as the mask can be washed with soap and water and be reused, unlike the one-time use disposable surgical masks.

People are also confused about where to wear it. They wear a mask outdoors but tend to remove it when they are at a commercial store or any other closed place. You should know that commercial places like your supermarkets are hotspots and the chances of you being infected there are quite high.

A supermarket is a place where multiple people are interacting. It may not be a direct physical interaction, but you are interacting with others. You pick up things to inspect them before buying, you place them back if you don’t like them and someone else picks them up to check. The baskets and trolleys too are high-contact surfaces which are not fully sterilized. You then touch your face and mouth and increase the chances of getting yourself infected. If you wear a mask you won’t touch your face, which means the chances of the virus infecting you are reduced.

Similarly, if you wear a pair of gloves, it nullifies your direct contact with any external entity, and it reduces the chances of you touching your face by 99%. The reason for this is some impulses tell your brain there is something on the hand and it shouldn’t be touching the face directly. This, in turn, decreases the chances of infection.

Gloves and masks act as barriers between you and the micro viruses that are buoyant inside the commercial places. Since most of these markets are closed and are air-conditioned, there is no airflow or ventilation which keeps these viruses stagnant in the air for nearly 8 hours. You can imagine, if an infected person who does not have a mask on sneezes or coughs in such a place, infects the entire place, and later, if you visit that same store without a mask on, you are likely to be infected as the virus is still present in the air. Therefore, there must be no compromises made when it comes to wearing masks and gloves, especially in indoor commercial places, you wear them whenever you pay a visit to any such stores.

Dr Prashanth R Reddy,

Consultant ENT & Endoscopic Skull Base Surgeon, BGS Gleneagles Hospital

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author. They do not reflect the opinions or views of the organization.

There are various preventive measures which one will have to take to keep Coronavirus at bay. Strengthen your immune system, follow a proper handwashing technique, disinfect and clean surfaces and items after touching and opt for social distancing. Doing so can help deal with Coronavirus! Read on to know more about this…

Coronavirus or COVID-19 is a virus that causes respiratory disease and in serious cases, it can lead to pneumonia as well. The listed symptoms are fever, cough and shortness of breath. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the entire country would be put under lockdown to slow the outbreak of Coronavirus as the number of patients suffering from COVID-19 is increasing at a rapid rate in India. Thus, to slow the outbreak of Coronavirus, here are a few guidelines that you should adhere to. Follow them right away, and stay home, stay safe and stay healthy!

Take these precautions to stay away from Coronavirus

• Stay at home: Are you sick? Do you exhibit symptoms such as a cold or cough? Then, do not venture out of the house as you may be prone to Coronavirus. Likewise, try to limit your contact with others at home as well. Social distancing is essential to stop the spread of Coronavirus.
• Be calm and composed: The outbreak of Coronavirus is stressful and worrisome. It can cause paranoia, and trigger a depressive episode or even Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or OCD (people may wash their hands or disinfect their houses more frequently owing to the fear of Coronavirus). Thus, one has to be calm and avoid watching the disturbing news. Do not believe in rumours. Instead, spend some quality time with your family at home while maintaining social distance, connect to friends via phone, and get some ‘ME’ time to rejuvenate and do activities that you like (reading/ listening to music/ exercising/ painting/ gardening can be helpful).
• Handwashing is the need of the hour: Remember to wash your hands and sanitize them after visiting the loo, touching the surfaces and things, and before preparing meals. Stick to a proper handwashing technique. Wet your hands and apply soap. Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the help of soap. Clean your nails. Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers. Scrub and rinse your hands.
• Disinfect the surfaces and items: Make sure that you follow good hygiene practices and keep your house clean. Surfaces (door handles, locks, tables, doorknobs, kitchen countertops) and items (cell phones, remotes, pens, keyboards, metal objects) should be disinfected regularly. Avoid touching your face, nose or eyes after doing so and wash your hands immediately.
• Cover your mouth: Do not forget to cover your mouth while sneezing or coughing. Use a mask when you are around others and are symptomatic. Dispose of the tissues after using and wash your hands.

Dr Prashant Borade

Head Critical Care, Gleneagles Hospital, Mumbai

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author. They do not reflect the opinions or views of the organization.

The Coronavirus pandemic so far has infected millions and has taken the lives of thousands in a short span of four months. What seemed to be just an innocuous outbreak in China has now taken over the world. All the major economies have crashed. There are severe restrictions in many hard-affected countries and most of them are under complete lockdown, and unfortunately contemplating further lockdown as the cases continue to rise. Hospitals are packed with ill patients and healthcare professionals are working round the clock to treat the infected and save lives.

It is known that elderly people, people with low immunity or an underlying condition such as Kidney Disease, or Diabetes are at a higher risk of COVID-19. The complications in such cases are more severe as compared to the healthier and younger including the risk of dying. Therefore, elective and unnecessary surgeries should be avoided to prevent unnecessary complications.

Elective surgeries cover a wide range of procedures, from Cancer Tumor removal to optional procedures like Cosmetic Surgeries. Unless and until the condition poses a risk to a patient’s life and the need for surgery is absolute, these surgeries must be deferred until a safer time is available.

One of the many reasons why such elective surgeries must be called off includes the uncertainty of the patient’s COVID-19 status. In other words, since testing is not universal, COVID-19 positivity will invariably pose a threat to the patient’s health and life, not to mention the additional risk to the exposed health workers and doctors involved in the care. Assuming that people who want to undergo these elective procedures are normal, there’s still a threat to the patient’s life as the chances of them contracting COVID later will be 100%.

Elective surgeries are generally safe, and the mortality rate is almost negligible. Under these circumstances (the COVID-19 pandemic), elective surgery mortality is likely to be around 20%. Simply put the death rate of one in five is very high and unacceptable whereas the death rate was almost negligible before the pandemic. Hence healthcare professional bodies and doctors are advocating the postponement of these elective procedures.

Surgeries including Hernia, Varicose Veins, simple lumps and bumps removal, and all the other category 1 surgeries must be deferred, as the patients can tolerate these issues for some more time without posing a threat to their lives. If there is an emergency condition that needs surgery, then the doctors will take a call along with the consensus from the patient to proceed with surgery. This should be done with utmost care with adequate safety measures in place before and after the procedure. The patients and their families must be counselled and prepared for a possible worst outcome which includes death.

Dr Nagabhushan JS

Senior Consultant Gastrointestinal & Colorectal Surgeon, BGS Gleneagles Hospital

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author. They do not reflect the opinions or views of the organization.

People around the world experience health inequalities and the numbers of such people are far higher than one could expect. There’s a big gap that exists between the wealthy and the poor, the healthy and unhealthy, and the educated and uneducated.

People struggle to fulfil their most basic needs. Even within wealthier nations, the poor face significant obstacles: lack of access to good jobs with fair pay, quality education & and housing, safe environments, healthy food, clean water, and healthcare.

To balance the scale equally, in 2015, the 191 UN member states committed to achieving the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) by 2030. The goals address poverty, hunger, inequality, climate change, prosperity, peace, and justice both between nations and within nations. Although only one of the SDGs specifically addresses health, advancing it will drastically improve the world’s health.

Nurses around the globe are well-equipped to play a role in achieving the SDGs. Their profession is mostly concerned with the social, emotional and physical needs of the disadvantaged. Nurses are trained to understand the factors that shape a person’s life whether that person lives in poverty, lacks access to safe housing, or struggles with addiction, and how all these factors may affect that person’s health.

Nurses also know what suits best for people. They provide people with the best possible opportunity for health. Nurses have the required expertise to address the social factors of health to tackle the world’s most distressing health crises ignoring any kind of discrimination.

Nurses, as the largest component of the healthcare workforce throughout the world, can partner and lead efforts to help health systems become more sustainable, as well as make more sustainable choices in their households and partner with others at the local, national, and international levels to reduce the impact of climate change. They can raise awareness of the health implications of climate change and advocate for policy changes. As disasters increase in intensity due to climate change, nursing’s existing collaborations and partnerships with humanitarian organizations will become more important in disaster risk reduction, response, and recovery.

Nurses must serve as partners and leaders in addressing the social determinants of health. That is why the US National Academy of Medicine and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation are collaborating on a second report on the future of nursing, which will be released at the end of 2020. This report will guide nurses and institutions in working together to better understand the social determinants of health, the unmet needs of individuals and communities, and nurses’ role in addressing them. Nurses, policymakers, other health professionals, and elected officials throughout the world will be able to use the report as a blueprint for how the nursing profession can address the social determinants of health to create a more just and equitable world.

COVID-19 has become a global cause of concern. The virus can be potentially lethal and has taken its toll on the world. The government and the authorities are taking necessary precautions to contain the virus. Many countries across the world are under lockdown to prevent the spread of the virus. People are bound to stay home for their health.

In times like these, you ought to take care of yourself, especially if you have any underlying medical condition like Diabetes. Though the Coronavirus can affect anyone, the chances of a healthy person recovering from it are higher than a person with any chronic condition as the complications that occur in them are more severe.

All the data you are being fed by the news and the media can be overwhelming and you may have millions of questions and doubts rising. We understand your concern and suggest you practice the precautionary measures proposed by the authorities to keep yourself safe. But if you are still in doubt, here’s everything you need to know about how Coronavirus can affect people with Diabetes and how to prevent it.

Why Should People With Diabetes Be Extra Cautious?

The reason why it becomes more important for Diabetics to take necessary precautions is because of what’s happening inside their bodies. Blood sugar levels indirectly affect the Immune System. It compromises insulin production in the blood which in turn can have lasting compilations in the Immune System.

People with high or unmanaged blood sugar levels tend to have restricted blood flow, due to which the circulation of essential nutrients and natural defenses that help the body fight against infections and recover from hurts, becomes difficult. Hence, it generally takes longer for people with Diabetes to recover from any health-related issues.

Precautions For Diabetic Patients

Apart from the general precautions proposed by the authorities like washing hands, wearing masks, not touching the face frequently, etc., people with Diabetes should also practice the following measures

• Use the N95 mask as it will provide more protection
• Wash your injection site if you’re taking insulin and the needle prick site when you check blood sugar levels. Clean them with antiseptic or soap and water after injection
• In conditions of stress, sugar fluctuations will be more, therefore check your sugar levels frequently. Once every four hours for Type 1 Diabetic patients. Once every 8 hours for a Type 2 Diabetic patient
• Identify the symptoms of Hyperglycemia and Hypoglycemia and contact the doctor if you see any
• Keep yourself hydrated. Drink sips of water every 15 minutes
• Eat small and frequent meals. Eat every two hours. Do not eat a heavy meal and neither skip a meal
• Continue regular exercise
• Make sure you have a sufficient backup supply of all your medications.
• Avoid hospitals for routine checkups. Consult your doctor online whenever possible
• If you see any symptoms in yourself, notify your doctor immediately, and self-quarantine yourself (Be in a separate room or maintain a good distance from the other members of the family).

Dr M Sheetal Kumar

Consultant General Physician & Diabetologist, Gleneagles Hospital, Lakdikapul

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author. They do not reflect the opinions or views of the organization.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created terror in the hearts of people around the world. It has caged them in their homes and makes the headlines every single day. Everybody is watching it take over the world slowly and there’s nothing that can be done about it. The authorities are trying their best to break the chain and contain the virus, but there hasn’t been any luck yet.

Things get all the more complicated when people are tested false-negative in the case of COVID-19. That’s right, there are chances of test results coming out wrong. False-negative means that the person has the infection but has tested negative, indicating he’s fine and giving false hopes. 30-40% of the tests result in false-negative.

It takes 7-14 days to show symptoms after being infected. Quite a lot of people are asymptomatic for several days after being infected. If these asymptomatic patients, or patients who have been tested false-negative, go out between the general population and don’t take any preventive measures, they might infect several others around them, and that is a big concern today.

Even if you have tested negative it doesn’t mean that you have a free pass to do things as you, please. It’s only wise to stay self-quarantined and maintain social distance from others for a few more weeks. In this period, if you see any symptoms in yourself indicating the disease stay indoors and inform the healthcare officials immediately.

The death tolls and the number of people infected are scary even when the government has not been testing enough. India has carried out 93 tests per million which is not even close to enough if we plan to eradicate this virus. And mind you, that is just the number of tests, not the people tested. There are times when a single person is tested multiple times. Now you can do the math. India needs to run tests more religiously and more efficiently if we want to put an end to this. We will not be able to flatten the curve if we do not run enough tests or get the right results. We need to be mindful that with a population of over 138 crores, even if we test one lakh people per day, it will take approximately 37 years to finish testing the entire population. The authorities cannot do it alone; they’ll need your help too. So, it is a request that you stay mindful about everything that you do, as it won’t just affect you but the entire society.

Dr Prashanth R Reddy

Consultant ENT & Endoscopic Skull Base Surgeon, BGS Gleneagles Hospital

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author. They do not reflect the opinions or views of the organization.

COVID-19 has brought the world down to its knees. It is a pandemic that has affected many countries. Every single individual is at risk of getting infected if exposed to the virus, but there's a certain population that is more vulnerable to the ill effects of the Coronavirus - it’s the older generation. That is because after a certain age, our Immune System starts getting weak and most of the elder people are already suffering from some chronic diseases.

That being said, if you are a young individual with weak immunity or a chronic disease, the chances of you being affected after exposure to the virus, are high too. Now, let us understand what is this chronic medical condition or chronic disease. It is any disease that lasts for a longer period, more than three months to be precise. Common chronic diseases include Arthritis, Asthma, Cancer, Diabetes, etc.

It becomes very important to take more care of people with such conditions. If you have any elder member in your family or anyone whose Immune System is weak, or you are someone who falls under this category, then you need to be more careful and vigilant. The most important thing for you to do is to practice social isolation and stay away from the sick.

Regular Medication and Checkups

The primary need is to keep your chronic condition under control. Do not stop taking your medication without discussing it with your doctor. If you're not so sure about visiting the hospital/clinic for a regular checkup, ask your doctor if it can be rescheduled. If the visit is only for discussing something, try doing it over a call or virtually if possible.

Exposed to the Virus

If you have been exposed to someone who might have COVID-19, then the first thing you must do is isolate yourself in your house. Stay in a separate room if possible, or at least make sure you maintain a safe distance - which is 1 meter or 3 feet - from everyone. If you start showing any symptoms such as difficulty in breathing, severe headache, cough, etc. seek medical assistance.

Dealing with Stress and Anxiety

It is normal to feel uneasy at such uncertain times, but you cannot afford to be extremely anxious. The authorities are working hard to get a permanent solution. Try and avoid all the news, as the information can be overwhelming. Do not believe everything that is being said, especially on social media. Tally your information with credible sources for accurate information. Divert yourself. Talk to your family, and check on your friends over phone calls. Do relaxing activities such as yoga, meditation, exercise, etc. Listen to soothing music and try not to constantly think about it.

Dr Subramanian Swaminarathan

Senior Consultant - Infectious Diseases, Gleneagles Health City, Chennai

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author. They do not reflect the opinions or views of the organization.

This pandemic is not only stressful for the ones who are sitting at home, away from their friends and family, but it is also stressful and probably riskier for the frontline workers and caregivers. If you are a caregiver, it is only natural that you’ll be anxious about catching the virus or transmitting it to the person you are taking care of, unwillingly.

If you find yourself a little scared and anxious, don’t worry, you’re not the only one. It is normal to feel that way, but just make sure that you don’t let this stress get to you. The times are difficult and if you are unable to manage the stress, it’ll get more difficult for you to deal with.

There are ways to deal with this anxiety and to prevent yourself from getting infected, and they are listed below:

Keep yourself well

You cannot pour from an empty glass. Therefore, it is important to take care of yourself first so that you can take care of others.

So, wash your hands frequently, and avoid touching your face and mouth. Clean all the frequently touched things like doorknobs, tables, switches, etc. If you visit the market to buy essentials, make sure you have a mask on, and when you return, wash your hands and feet first and then do anything else.

Practice Social Distancing But Not Social Isolation

Don’t indulge yourself so much in your work that you isolate yourself completely. Take a break and talk to your friends and family over calls. Try and contact the family of the person you are taking care of, especially if they are elderly as they may feel alone and lonely with no one to visit them.

Postpone

To minimize the risk of getting infected, postpone hospital visits. Talk to the doctors, the family of your patient and the patients themselves. Explain to them about the risks and how you can avoid them by just staying at home.

Plan

If you are a full-time caregiver, you need to plan through this entire lockdown period. Make sure you have all the essentials stocked up. All the medicines of your patients and some backup as well. Keep in constant touch with the doctors and the patient’s family. Discuss everything with them, so that you don’t end up taking unnecessary stress.

Dr Madhusudan B.K

Senior Consultant Neurologist & HOD Stroke & Epilepsy Specialist, BGS Gleneagles Hospital

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author. They do not reflect the opinions or views of the organization.

The rapidly expanding Coronavirus pandemic brought the world to its knees and has assaulted all aspects of daily life. Medical professionals are working day in and day out to treat the patients affected by the disease. Researchers are trying their best to get to the core of it and find a cure. Though we haven’t had any luck in the treatment or cure spectrum, our hopes are still high. It shouldn’t be too long before we hit the bull’s eye. Until then, it is very important that everybody takes care of themselves and practices precautionary measures proposed by the authorities, especially people with underlying health conditions like Cancer.

It has been proven that people with low immunity have severe complications as compared to ones with high immunity. The only matter of concern is that if a Cancer patient is infected by the virus, they are at risk of having extreme complications and the mortality rate is high.

Cancer itself, and many times its treatments like Chemotherapy tend to weaken the immune system of the patient. Apart from that, factors like old age and other underlying diseases like Obesity, Hypertension, Diabetes, etc. increase the mortality rate in these patients if infected.

Cancer patients have been categorized into two groups according to international standards - Vulnerable and Non-Vulnerable groups.

Patients with active Cancer treatments like Radiation Therapy, Chemotherapy, various surgeries or Transplants; or patients who have had any of these treatments in the last six months fall under the vulnerable group. Patients of this group are at a higher risk of severe complications and even mortality if they are infected by the Coronavirus. General social distancing protocol is not sufficient to keep these patients protected. They need ‘shielding’. It means they must maintain a distance of 3 feet from all of their family members. They should not use common spaces like the kitchen, hall, dining room, etc. These patients should have a separate bathroom, bed, towel, etc. for a minimum of six weeks to reduce even the slightest chances of infection.

The non-vulnerable group consists of the patients who have completed the treatment or who are just on follow-ups. Practising social distancing is good enough for them.

It is important to keep your doctors informed about any distress or any symptoms related to COVID-19. You don’t need to visit the hospital unless it is extremely necessary and your doctor has said so. Try and consult your doctor over video calls or regular calls to avoid visiting the hospital.

Also, if you are a recently diagnosed Cancer patient who hasn’t started any treatment yet. Talk to your doctor and see if there are chances of postponing the treatment.

Dr Revanth

Consultant - Oncologist, Gleneagles Hospital, Lakdikapul

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author. They do not reflect the opinions or views of the organization.