COVID-19 committee warns people against self-medication

‘Delay in detection of infection may lead to severe health complications and death’

Members of COVID-19 Coordination Committee during a meeting in Tirupati on Thursday.

The members of the COVID-19 coordination committee in Chittoor district have appealed to the people with symptoms of fever to aviod self-medication and undergo tests for coronavirus without delay.

It has come to the notice of the coordination committee that many people with symptoms of fever, cold and cough had resorted to self-medication before they were tested postive for the virus.

“We found that self-medication delayed the detection of the infection in many patients by a week or more and it led to serious health complications. This is one of the major reasons for the spread of the virus,” Indian Medical Association president (Tirupati region) P. Ravi Raju, who is a member of the COVID-19 coordination committe, told the media here on Thursday.

The committee members are meeting regularly to discuss the spread of the virus and functioning of the COVID-19 facilities in the district.

“The committe members, after a meeting here, said people taking self-medication was predominantly witnessed in the rural areas. Cases of people put under home isolation violating the norms have also come to our notice,” said Dr. Ravi Raju said.

The officials working at the triage centers have been instructed to discourage the patients from rural areas to opt for home isolation.

High recovery rate

“At present, the district has around 10,000 active cases, of which 6,000 are under home isolation. Even as more than 56,000 cases have been reported from the district till date, the recovery rate of more than 85% is quite a relief. However, we should not be complascent and lay focus on checking the spread of the virus,” said Dr. Ravi Raju.

Eighteen special teams of medical and paramedical staff have been working round the clock, covering the government COVID19 facilities set up at Tirupati, Chittoor, Madanapalle, Srikalahasti and Kuppam.

Co-morbid condition

The virus has claimed 620 lives in the district till date. “Majority of the victims had co-morbid health conditions who underwent tests much after they developed symptoms.

“People with symptoms of fever should undergo tests without delay. This is the best remedy to arrest the spread of the virus. Early detection of the infection and timely treatment help can save more lives,” the IMA functionary said.