To keep the load of patients, who have tested COVID-19 positive under check in COVID hospitals, the district administration has taken a decision to admit only those who are critical.
Defining the criticality, District Collector V. Vinay Chand said that only patients who have symptoms of hypoxia and dyspnea, will be admitted into hospitals. Hypoxia is a condition where not enough oxygen makes it to the cells and tissues in the body. The normal oxygen saturation level is 95 to 100% and patients whose readings drop below 94 in the pulse oximeter will be given admission, he said.
Similarly, a person showing symptoms of dyspnea, which is shortness of breath or breathlessness, will be considered for immediate admission. “In the case of both these conditions, a persons will be admitted irrespective whether, he or she is COVID-19 positive or not and irrespective of the age group,” said Mr. Vinay Chand.
According to him, the rest will be given a choice to either get admitted into a COVID Care Centre or home isolation. The district administration has already readied 7,000 beds in CCC and about 6,200 in hospitals with at least 2,000 beds having oxygen supply. “Right now we have about 6,200 beds in our 22 COVID hospitals, eight belonging to the State and 14 private, and shortly we shall open up the millennium block in KGH with 500 beds. The work in the oxygen line is on. This apart we negotiating with some private hospitals to be part of the category-B hospitals. In these hospitals we shall have a beds or a ward dedicated to COVID patients. Once they are notified, we shall have another 1,000 beds ready,” he said.
According to district COVID Special Officer and Principal of Andhra Medical College P.V. Sudhakar, since both hypoxia and dyspnea are life threatening stages, the focus is on their admission to bring down the mortality rate.Asymptomatic or patients with mild to moderate symptoms can be treated at home under isolation or at CCC. “At any time we have over 4,000 beds vacant at CCC,” said Dr. Sudhakar.
Those who do not have the facility for home isolation can opt for CCC, he said.
According to him, every CCC has one doctor present 24/7 in three shifts and one ambulance, to shift emergency cases.
