COVID-19: Why this Guwahati doctor raised a red flag over home quarantine

Guwahati: A Guwahati-based doctor believes home quarantine of COVID-19 patients is not always the smartest course of action.

Sharing an awareness message on the second wave of the virus Dr Binanda Patir, HoD of ICU, Marwari Hospital & Research Centre in Guwahati said the lungs of 80 per cent patients who had undergone home quarantine are already affected by the time they come to the hospital, leaving medication and recovery of such patients at the mercy of their immune system.

“Whatever is being done in the name of home quarantine, it is probably not enough. We are receiving 80 per cent of patients who had undergone home quarantine and when we conduct a CT Scan, it is found that their lungs are already affected. Treatment in such cases become difficult and prognosis and recovery of the patient completely depends on the patient’s immune system,” the doctor said.

He also added that the CT Value in such patients also fluctuate or rise by the time they are brought to the hospital.

Raising further concerns, Patir stressed on the need of maintaining all kind of precautions in order to prevent the spread of the second wave of COVID-19. The doctor said that the treatment of patients hit by the second wave is very different for those affected in the second wave.

“Patients hit in the first wave complained about fever or cold, but their lungs were not affected. But in the second wave, in around 90 per cent of cases, the lungs of the patients are affected. There is also a lot of difference in the transmission of the virus. We have also seen difference in the root of infection. So I would urge people to be prepared to fight the second wave of COVID-19 and remain alert,” Patir added.

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