PremiumGuleria said that only 10-15% of patients with severe infections may need oxygen, Remdesivir or plasma while less than 5% of patients need ventilators or intensive care
Hoarding of Remdesivir and oxygen in homes is creating panic and causing a shortage of these medicines, said Dr Randeep Guleria, the director of All India Institute of Medical Sciences, on Sunday.
"Covid-19 is a mild infection and 85-90% of people will only suffer from cold, fever, sore throat and body ache. Only symptomatic treatment at home is enough to ride through these infections and there is no need for oxygen or Remdesivir," said Guleria.
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Premium He further said that only 10-15% of patients with severe infections may need oxygen, Remdesivir or plasma while less than 5% of patients need ventilators or intensive care.
Speaking about the usage of Remdesivir in curing Covid-19, the AIIMS chief stated that the drug does not reduce hospital stay or save lives.
"In moderate to severe cases, it may be able to reduce hospital stay but if administered in mild cases it can complicate matters. Remdesivir is no magic bullet and it is used in hospitals for moderate to severe cases," he said.
On the initial steps to be taken after testing positive, Dr Naresh Trehan, the chairman and managing director of Medanta, stated that a person should first contact their local or family doctors.
"All the doctors are aware of the protocol to be followed and can recommend courses of medication for patients who should isolate themselves at home," Trehan.
Regarding the need for oxygen as a way of treatment, Guleria iterated that people who have oxygen saturation above 94 do not need oxygen as an increase in oxygen saturation beyond this level would not increase oxygen in the blood.
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Premium Premium Trehan spoke out the sudden increase in oxygen demand and said that the manufacturing facilities are stretched for supplies.
"Our industries however have the capacity but lack cryo-transportation. The government is actively working on this and the situation will be under control in the next five to seven days," he said.
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