Mild & asymptomatic persons to be sent to COVID care centres
With active cases of COVID-19 nearing one lakh, Tamil Nadu Health officials have stressed the management of mild and asymptomatic cases in COVID care centres to avoid panic and overcrowding at government hospitals.
The hospitals have been instructed to handle only medical and surgical emergencies, trauma cases and deliveries and other emergencies to strengthen the management protocol for COVID-19 patients. All outpatient departments have been made to come together and work as a single unit to effectively redistribute manpower for COVID-19 patients.
Doctors who wanted exemption have been diverted to non-COVID areas like Control Room, help desk and non-COVID OP sections. This move is aimed at effective utilisation of medical manpower since some of the health workers are also becoming COVID positive despite adequate protection and one-week compulsory quarantine and reducing mortality in COVID affected patients.
The Health officials say there is an adequate number of screening centres in government, private hospitals and community halls.
The officials say that the COVID patients can stay at home if they have adequate and quarantine facilities. Those who cannot can approach COVID care ccentres. Currently, there are a total of 3,444 beds occupied by COVID positive and suspects in the five government hospitals under the Directorate of Medical Education in the city while 924 beds are vacant. In 10 COVID-19 health centres, 733 patients are admitted while 1,017 beds are vacant. Another 14 COVID care centres house 2,392 patients while 9,253 beds are available.
“Anyone with severe symptoms can seek ambulance and medical support at 108 and 104 helplines or Corporation helpline at 044-46122300 or 044-25384520. Doctors will assess and direct them to the hospital,” said Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan.
He said there are adequate drugs available and people should not administer Remedesivir on their own as there are clinical directions for the use of the same and the injections are not necessary for every individual.