Tirupati: Regular monitoring key in Post-Covid rehabilitation

Tirupati: Amid declining Covid positive cases now, the importance for post-Covid care is increasing with several patients requiring consultation with doctors with persistence of certain symptoms. Amid the increasing number of such complications, several hospitals have even started post-Covid care that becomes inevitable with certain complications.

Underlining the importance of post-Covid rehabilitation, the head of medicine department and in-charge of state Covid hospital in SVIMS Dr Alladi Mohan said that it is important that every Covid survivor should consciously monitor their condition from time to time to take proper treatment at the right time.

In an exclusive interview to The Hans India, Dr Mohan made it clear that Covid is a disease with long-term consequences wherein some patients are having symptoms even after three weeks. Post-Covid rehabilitation requires lifestyle modification to become not vulnerable to infections.

They need to sanitise hands, wear masks and follow safe distancing.

Mild to moderate exercise, adequate sleep, rest and proper nutritious diet are essential and one should notice for any symptoms in the beginning itself. After two weeks of discharge, patients need to have a review of their condition and regular follow-up thereafter, said Dr Mohan.

"Adequate attention must be paid to optimal management of other associated medical conditions like diabetes and hypertension because every moderate, severe and critical patient is treated with steroids like dexamethasone. This should not be ignored," he maintained.

Post-Covid lung fibrosis is known to occur. With initial lung damage caused due to Covid, it may further lead to lung scarring. Some may fall in the serious category who need timely medical attention while some others may have non-specific symptoms like fatigue, dry cough, breathlessness etc., Those underwent Covid treatment in ICU or on ventilator should be even more cautious of their symptoms.

About 10-20 per cent of patients will have post-Covid complications while five per cent of them will have serious complications. The remaining 80 per cent may have mild disturbing symptoms like lack of energy known as post-Covid fatigue, breathlessness, fever, etc.,

In patients with moderate, severe and critical symptoms, various problems may develop for whom tests like D-Dimer and others will be performed even before discharge. They need to go back to hospital if they notice recurrence of breathlessness, persistence of fever, dry cough and reducing saturation levels and never neglect them, Dr Mohan explained.