If one expected influx of patients with symptoms of cold, cough and fever at the corporate hospitals, two days after a software employee has been diagnosed with COVID-19 (coronavirus) in the city, it is not the scenario.
However, those visiting the hospitals from all walks of life for medical consultation or those accompanying them are increasingly wearing masks as a precautionary measure. An autorickshaw driver who himself is wearing a mask and picked up passengers from a corporate hospital in Jubilee Hills has a word of caution for them, “Don’t step out without wearing a mask”.
The coronavirus scare, however, has not sent any of the corporate hospitals into an overdrive as there are not that many people with symptoms of cold, cough approaching them. The only visible difference observed in a corporate hospital at Jubilee Hills is hand sanitiser bottles being placed everywhere and the security guards manning the entrance and exit doors and those at the reception counters offering few drops of hand sanitiser to every one entering or leaving the hospital. A family of three who came to the hospital said they did not have any symptoms, but were wearing the masks as a precaution.
The masks need not be worn by everyone. Those suffering from cold and cough alone need to wear them so that they don’t spread the virus through droplets. This is true even for common cold . “But with couple of cases of COVID-19 detected in the city, we as a matter of precaution are handing over masks to patients with cold and cough,” said a patient counsellor. Such persons are being sent to emergency with a separate counter to screen them, the Counsellor said.
At the emergency, the duty doctor said that based on their travel history, the medical protocol was being followed and their higher-ups were being informed for further advice. No separate isolation rooms were marked rather than the isolation room that had been functioning for the last several years at the emergency ward as per the Joint Commission International Accreditation Standards for Hospitals. A corporate hospital official said, “We follow WHO guidelines on coronavirus on what precautions to take, how to identify as well as government guidelines. Suspected cases of coronavirus are sent to the designated nodal hospitals for coronavirus cases.” The scene at outpatient block of a corporate hospital in Banjara Hills was also nothing unusual. However, separate counters were set up for people coming in with cold, cough and fever symptoms and to refer the suspected cases to nodal hospitals.
Awareness cell
A corporate hospital at Somajiguda set up COVID-19 awareness cell on the ground floor with pamphlets. A separate out-patient room has been allocated for screening of patients with flu symptoms and information is collected for such patients with travel history in the last three to four weeks. Suspected COVID-19 cases will be referred to Gandhi Hospital. So far no such cases were referred. Patients suffering from H1N1 (swine flu) and any other multi-drug resistant cases are admitted to 10-bed isolation ward as usual.
A Medical Director at a corporate hospital said that number of patients with normal flu has come down, this being the month of March. There is no recent significant spurt in cases. But for common flu or even for COVID-19, what is important is personal hygiene. Persons should follow spitting, sneezing and hand hygiene. They should cover their mouth when coughing or sneezing. Keeping oneself well hydrated and good nutrition are normal health practices one should follow even in normal times.
