BE SAFE IN COVID TIMES
Dear Friends.
I operated on a patient in my affiliated hospital , a case of very bad trauma to the nose.
Pre-operative, the COVID TEST was NEGATIVE although the patient had mild symptoms. Such nasal discharge and sore throat would any way be expected in any nasal injury. . Then surgery happened and patient got discharged after 3 days of the surgery uneventfully.
After 3 days of discharge the patient came for dressing. He was dressed taking precautions of 3 ply mask and gloves and cap ( considering the patient to be negative).
After 3 days I got a call from the patient that he is having fever. Understanding that the wound is clean, I asked for COVID test after TELECONSULTATION on NAMASTE HEALTH platform 9019100555. The report came positive .
Now I was in home isolation with some symptoms. After 10 and 14 days of my home quarantine, my two tests are negative and I am ready to join my duties again.
THERE ARE A FEW LESSIONS TO BE LEARNT FOR THE DOCTORS AND PUBLIC ALIKE.
1.A COVID negative report may be actually positive because the RTPCR has 80% – 90% chances only to detect the virus. There is about 10 to 20 % chance that the report may be negative although the actual status may be positive. The remaining 10-20% may be free to infect others with false sense of security.
2. Depending on the lab and the technician’s technique to take the swab, there is another 10 to 20% chance that the report may be wrong.
3. A COVID POSITIVE REPORT come only after 4 to 14’days after a contact with a COVID POSITIVE PATIENT, if a person gets infected. So if the patient”s lest is done before, the test may be negative.
4. A negative patient can become positive any day after the test from a fresh source.
So It’s a tough call to treat a patient and especially to operate. The pressures are high in the doctor as well as the patient.. May be full PPE for all the patients treated ( Consultation, dressing etc) is the answer.This is the only way to protect the doctors and protect the patients as well from hospital acquired infection.. The only wat to be safe is to take as much precaution as possible to reduce the virus load entry if u are exposed..( Mostly this might develop an antibody with a milder disease)
The virus is everywhere now and it is very difficult not to come in contact with an asymptomatic person.
So the doctors need to be careful , very carefu,l while treating a patients and patients also must be equally careful while getting treated. On the social front Mask and Social Distancing are 2 important aspects which we must follow
The idea is either one doesn’t get infected at all or even if there is an exposure, the viral load ( the amount of virus entering the body) is very less, so that the body gets a time to fight the virus .
Please make sure that elders are specially taken care of.
Lets Pray anf Fight together, and God will take care of all of us, Healthworkers and patients both.
Dr. Anshuman Manaswi.
MBBS, MS. DNB, M.Ch.
Consultant Reconstructive & Cosmetic surgeon,
@ NANAVATI HOSPITAL, Mumbai.
@ BOMBAY HOSPITAL, Mumbai
@ La Transformatione’ Plastic – Cosmetic Surgery Center, Mumbai
