“Isolation is a gift” No one had ever thought about that in this context before 2019. One day we’ve to lock ourselves in a room just to survive would’ve been a really good joke, but that’s the reality now. An unknown, unseen natural phenomenon has put humanity in a chokehold and we have to respect it.
One can’t win a fight without respecting the opponent, learn his strength, reach and plan accordingly. Thanks to our much-evolved brains, we’ve found a way to combat this microscopic trouble and that is Home isolation.
In this article we’re going to talk about the home isolation procedure in a precise yet effective way, you can also download an ebook that you can share with your friends and family easily.
Download ebook here
VMEDO Provides multiple services to tackle covid 19 such as Ambulances, Medical equipment, Mass vaccination drives and Doorstep RTPCR tests. Checkout our COVID Response page here
Let’s jump right in,
COVID 19 Symptoms
COVID19 Symptoms usually include fever, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, and Headache. But in the second wave doctors are observing things such as Stomach upset, Pink eyes, Rash on the skin, and Body ache
Note: These symptoms can be exclusive or in any combination.
How do I know if it’s mild or serious?
To know if it’s serious or not please watch out for the warning signs such as difficulty in breathing, Oxygen saturation goes below 94, Continued fever for 3 or more days with cough, and Mental confusion.
Buy a pulse oximeter if you’ve someone vulnerable to covid or just buy it. Its benefit outweighs the cost by some margin and it’s easy to use.
How to use a pulse oximeter?
- Rest your hand on the chest at heart level and keep it steady.
- Turn on the pulse oximeter and keep your middle or index finger on the sensor. It may take a few seconds for the correct reading to appear.
- If the reading is not stable, keep the device in a place for a minute or longer.
- Record the highest value once if it has not changed for 5 seconds.
My symptoms are mild and Doctor has advised home isolation what do I do?
Take it easy and Distance yourself only physically
Listen to music, read books, play online games, watch people dancing on Instagram, Prank call your friends if you have work from home do that, be normal, and take it extra easy. Just don’t come in contact with others for a few days. Stop watching the news and panic. Read the newspaper instead.
Be active too
Have a routine, workout, do yoga and, you’ll come out of it soon if you can move around and pump your heart a little bit. Don’t be a hero and lift for 2 hours, a simple workout is advised.
Practice breathing exercises
Go to Youtube and search ” Breathing exercises” there are thousands of good-hearted amazing people who’ve done videos on breathing exercises that will help you with anxiety and also improve lung health.
Eat healthily
Greasy, oily foods are a strict No-no, please stick to digestive track-friendly foods such as fruits and steamed veggies for a few days.
Keep in touch with a doctor
Measure your vitals regularly, show it to a doctor, and get their inputs on the diet, routine, medicine, tests, and also hospitalization.
Here’s a log sheet sample for you to measure your vitals regularly.
Tips to Improve Breathing
Proning
Proning is a medically approved process of improving oxygen concentration levels, proning can be an excellent home remedy for people with covid 19
Proning is recommended when you have discomfort in breathing and the oxygen saturation drops below 94
Proning involves the use of 4-5 pillows
- 1 below the neck
- 1-2 below the chest through upper thighs*
- 2 below the shins (front side of legs
Practice breathing exercises
Practice deep breathing exercises to improve your breathing capacity.
Use Balloon to increase your lung capacity
Blow 2-3 breaths, hold for a while, and exhale. Repeat this a few times
Which blood tests can we use to predict serious cases of covid19?
The blood tests such as C Reactive Protein (CRP), Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH), D-Dimer, Interleukin 6 (IL6), Ferritin, and Complete blood count (CBC). can be used to predict serious cases of Covid19 With the help of these tests, your doctor may get a better sense of
- Severity of COVID-19 infection
- Whether you may require any higher level of treatment other than routine home care management.
What medicines can we take?
Medicines for relieving symptoms
- Take Paracetamol for fever, with a minimum gap of 4-6 hrs between two doses
- Some patients may benefit from blood thinners or steroids, but DO NOT take these unless advised by your doctor
For Immunity boosting please take zinc and vitamin c tablets.
Oxygen supply…when you need it?
- There is no need to take oxygen if your saturation is over 94%.
- Do not panic even if the saturation goes down by a percent or two.
- In the case of high-risk patients, such as those with lung disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure, oxygen may be required early.
COVID-19 And Pneumonia
Most people who get COVID-19 have mild to moderate symptoms but some may develop pneumonia of the lungs. Pneumonia is an infection that causes the small air sacs in the lungs to fill with pus or fluid, which may cause difficulty in breathing and a drop in oxygen saturation.
“This condition can be diagnosed with a ct scan“
When is a chest CT scan recommended?
A chest CT scan is recommended when:
- Your doctor needs to check the severity of lung involvement in COVID-19.
- If you have observable symptoms that point towards pneumonia such as difficulty in breathing, decrease in oxygen saturation < 95% (below 90% is alarming), high-grade fever/severe cough, particularly for >5 days, and mental confusion.
When to end Home isolation?
If you are Asymptomatic,
10 days after testing positive for covid19
If you were Symptomatic,
10 days after symptom onset and additional 3 days without symptoms.
Loss of taste and smell may persist for weeks or months after recovery. In such cases, you need not delay the end of isolation.
COVID19 and Vaccination
Does the vaccine prevent Covid?
First of all, As the recent figures highlight, getting your vaccine could save your life or stop you from becoming seriously ill from COVID-19. It will also significantly reduce your chances of getting infected and infecting others. It is vital to get both doses of your vaccine when you are offered it.
I have covid now when can I take my vaccine?
For starters, if you are currently COVID-positive, you should not get the vaccine until you are fully recovered. Even if the infection was mild or asymptomatic, it is important to wait for at least 3 months since your symptoms first appeared before you go out to get the vaccine jab.
Will I be immune to covid after taking the vaccine?
Yes, You will be immune to COVID Infection but it’s still unclear about the period of immunity. Research is undergoing to determine the immunity levels around the world and we’ll get to know soon.
Check for Vaccine availability near you
These are “Homecare tips” for Covid-19 patients with mild symptoms. This document is curated with the help of expert opinions available on the internet.