Saptaparna Pal, Amity University Kolkata
The Union Health Ministry’s Directorate General of Health Sciences (DGHS) has proposed revised Covid-19 guidelines and removed all medicines except antipyretic (fever) and antitussive (cold) for mild and asymptomatic cases. The revised Covid-19 guidelines issued on 27 May 2021 dropped all medicines that the doctors have been prescribing even to mildly symptomatic and asymptomatic Covid 19 patients. Drugs like ivermectin, doxycycline, hydroxychloroquine, zinc, multivitamins, etc. removed by DGHS in the revised Covid-19 guidelines. The guidelines also prevent medical practitioners to prescribe unnecessary tests such as CT scans.
The revised Covid-19 guidelines said, no medication is required for asymptomatic cases, while for other co-morbid conditions medications should be continued. In mild cases, the guidelines suggested self-monitoring for fever, oxygen saturation (SpO2), breathlessness, or worsening of any symptoms. Patients may intake antitussive and antipyretic for symptomatic relief and inhalation of budesonide at a dose of 800mcg twice a day for 5days for cough.
In the case of Remdesivir, the revised Covid-19 guidelines suggested that Remdesivir is a reserved drug preferred by DCG only under Emergency Use Authorization based on limited scientific evidence worldwide. It should be only used by selectively moderate, severely hospitalized Covid19 patients on supplement oxygen within 10 days of onset of disease. Patients are recommended to exercise extreme conditions in using Remdesivir as this is only an experimental drug with the potential to harm. Some new guidelines were also laid out for steroids. The health ministry suggested using steroids in only hospitalized moderately severe and critically ill Covid19 patients. Steroids should be used at the proper time in the right dose and for the right duration. Self-medication of steroids must be prevented.
Also, the revised Covid-19 guidelines suggested Tocilizumab, is an immunosuppressant drug and it’s been said by DCG to use it as an off-label medicine only in critically ill patients of Covid 19. However, the recent Covid 19 guidelines also gave importance to preventive measures such as using masks, hand sanitizers, and maintaining social distancing. The health ministry also suggested people prefer telecommunication on experiencing Covid symptoms. Thus these are the latest modifications made in the latest revised Covid-19 guidelines by the union health ministry’s Directorate General of Health Sciences (DGHS).
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