Bengaluru: In order to provide medical help to COVID-19 patients in home isolation, the state government will procure five lakh home isolation kits. Measures will be taken to deliver these kits to patients' doorsteps within an hour, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and state COVID task force head Dr C N Ashwathnarayan said on Thursday.
The authorities concerned have been directed to ensure the systematic delivery of home isolation medical kits from May 15, he told reporters.
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"In most cases, by the time the RT-PCR test results arrive, the virus would have reached inflammation stage in the patient's body. So, at this stage, what is mainly needed is anti-inflammatory treatment. This medical kit will mainly comprise anti-biotics, anti-virals and vitamin tablets that are prescribed for anti-inflammation. In addition, this kit will also have steroid tablets which could be used in the later stage if the symptoms are not mitigated," Dr Ashwathnarayan explained.
He suggested that people with COVID-19 symptoms need not wait to begin consuming these anti-inflammatory medicines till the test result arrives. It is advisable to begin taking the drugs as soon as the symptoms are seen, he opined.
"People suffering from cough, cold, vomiting or diarrhea should not take them lightly and discard them as common health problems. In this changed situation, most of such cases are turning out to be COVID-positive. So, people should be alert and mentally prepared to fight the pandemic with the help of anti-inflammatory medicines," he said.
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The minister said the Centre has allocated an adequate supply of oxygen for the existing number of oxygenated beds in Karnataka. "But, when the number of beds is going to be increased, we will need more oxygen. Suitable measures will be taken," he said.
While maintaining that India has handled the COVID-19 situation "far better than developed countries such as the US", Dr Ashwathnarayan said the Opposition parties should not indulge in blame games and make false accusations against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
