Odisha issues advisory and follow up procedures for post Covid care

BHUBANESWAR: Perturbed over rising post Covid complications leading to death of recovered
persons, Odisha Government on Wednesday issued an advisory for management and care of Covid-19 patients.

Collectors, municipal commissioners, Chief District Medical and Public Health Officers and superintendent of medical colleges have been directed to monitor the follow up care and wellbeing of all novel coronavirus affected patients after they are discharged.

As per the advisory, Covid patients will have their first follow up visit within seven days after discharge, preferably to the hospital where he/she underwent treatment. The regular follow up at the hospital level must be done at fourth week and 12th week of the discharge date.

The patients who had undergone home isolation will visit the nearest health facility if they complain of persisting symptoms. Severe cases requiring critical care support need to be dealt with more stringently, the advisory stated.

During the follow up at 4th week, the patients will be assessed physically and a chest X-ray will be conducted, if required. But at the 12th week, discharged patients will be subjected to chest X-ray, pulmonary function test, measurement of oxygen saturation and echocardiography.

Patients found with abnormal chest X-ray and pulmonary function will have to undergo high resolution CT thorax and CT pulmonary angiography to ascertain the evidence of Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) or Pulmonary Vascular Disease (PVD).

“If any patient is found with the evidence of such diseases, they will be admitted to appropriate health care institution and treated accordingly. The status of comorbidities of all patients will be monitored during the follow up period and appropriate steps will be taken for their management,” Additional Chief Secretary of Health department PK Mohapatra said.

Apart from the care at the health facility, the Government has also advised the patients to continue Covid appropriate behaviour like use of mask, hand and respiratory hygiene along with physical distancing even after they are discharged.

They have been asked to look for early warning signs like high grade fever, breathlessness, SpO2 level less than 95 per cent, unexplained chest pain, new onset of confusion and focal weakness..

After Covid-19 illness, since recovered patients may continue to report wide variety of signs and symptoms, including fatigue, body ache, cough, acute myocardial infarction, heart failure, myocarditis, stroke and impaired cognitive function, they should immediately report to doctor, the advisory suggested.

Patients have been urged to avoid smoking and consumption of alcohol and practice yoga, pranayam, meditation and breathing exercises as prescribed and as much as health permits. Along with nutritious and freshly cooked food, they have been dvised to inform the doctor about all medicines (allopathic and AYUSH) they are taking to avoid prescription interaction.

The advisory issued in the wake of several studies that indicated prevalence of long-term sequelae, such as cardiovascular, pulmonary and other neurological and endocrinological sequelae that are associated with Covid-19.