Mysore/Mysuru:  Confirming that rural parts of the district too are facing COVID-19 community spread, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Rohini Sindhuri observed that taking the right medicines for first five days will help in recovery.

Addressing live on Facebook yesterday, Sindhuri said that the district currently has 18,000 active cases and fifty percent of them are reported from taluks. Noting that earlier, the infection was 90 percent in Mysuru city and only 10 percent in rural parts, she said that this figure definitely shows that community spread of the virus has begun in rural parts too. Pointing out that ‘COVID Mitra’ centres have been set up, where doctors will treat patients for mild symptoms, she said that this will help in reducing the pressure on hospitals.

Stating that 150 PHCs (Primary Health Centres) in the district, including 23 in city, have been converted as ‘COVID Mitra’ centres, she said that each centre is being visited by 100 to 150 people on an average every day. Maintaining that all the centres have sufficient stock of medicines, she said that those in need are being distributed primary health kits.

Highlighting the importance of following three Ts-Testing, Tracing and Treatment for containing the spread of virus, the DC said that 30 percent of RT-PCR test reports are turning out to be wrong in the second wave of attack. Stressing on the importance of Medicare in the first five days of symptoms, she said that it has been ascertained that delayed hospitalisation was the main cause of deaths in majority of cases. Explaining the idea behind the establishment of ‘COVID Mitras,’ she said that taking the right medicines in the first five days of symptoms is crucial and 90 percent of positive patients can recover in home isolation.

Explaining her own experience, the DC said that barring her, all her other family members were tested positive for COVID. But still, as she is a primary contact and  under medication. Observing that just taking Dolo tablets for Fever and Cetrizine tablet for cold will be of not much help, she said that proper medication as prescribed by doctors is vital. 

She further said that all her family members have taken Ivermectin tablets for the first three days, Doxicyclin 100 mg tablets for five days along with other prescribed medicines, which has helped in recovery.

Referring to vaccination drive, Rohini said that she contended that Mysuru has achieved a record 68 percent target in vaccination. Noting that some of the taluks have reported a high vaccination record of 80 percent, she said that vaccination of people in the age group of 18 to 44 years has been temporarily stopped following a Government direction. Pointing out 95 percent of the people have received Covishield jabs, while only 5 percent have got Covaxin jabs, she said that the vaccination drive for people aged over 45 years was started on Apr.1. 

As the second dose period of Covishield has now been rescheduled, the district administration has time till mid-June for starting administration of second dose. Asserting that the district currently has a vaccine stock of 20,000 vials, she said that the Government has capped the testing to 3,500 per day due to change in parameters in the second wave and also to eliminate faulty reports. 

Maintaining that taking excessive steroids too is taking toll on COVID patients, Rohini said that overdose of steroids in the first five days in the absence of other medication, too is to be blamed for high rate of deaths. Noting that K.R. Nagar has reported the most number of deaths in the district, she said that it is alarming to note that most of the dead are in the age group of 30 to 50 years. 

DC advocated Five-point formula 

Asking the people to visit nearest health centres in case they develop symptoms such as fever, cold, cough etc., she said that it is very important that people take in the right quantity at the right time. 

She advised people to mandatorily follow the five-point safety and precautionary formula for staying safe — Proper wearing of face mask, maintenance of physical distancing, sleeping in prone position, proper medication and consumption of Nutrition rich foods.

The DC further said that this five-point formula is being widely propagated through ASHA workers and Anganawadi workers who visit homes and paste stickers that contains the name of medicines and details about the formula.