We're living in tough times, and everyone's fighting to get through it the best they can. Home isolation has become an essential part of the fight against COVID-19, the world over. Even in India to prevent healthcare systems from being overwhelmed, those who show mild symptoms or are asymptomatic are told to go into home quarantine.
Under such circumstances, you need everything in your arsenal to fight the disease. While one can boost their immunity, self-care is a major part even after contracting the disease and instead of panicking it's better to follow the necessary steps. Before we proceed, it should be made extremely clear that nothing replaces medical advice, and always consult a specialist when unsure.
Pointers for self-care while fighting COVID-19
According to the WHO advisory on home care during COVID-19, "People with no symptoms should be able to stay at home, if adequately isolated from others, but this should be confirmed by a doctor. Those with mild or moderate disease can be considered for home care if they are under the age of 60, do not smoke, are not obese, and do not have other diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, chronic lung disease, cancer, chronic kidney disease, immunosuppression."
Once you are deemed fit for home isolation, of course, we need to find a separate room, make sure to be distanced from people, in a well-ventilated space. These guidelines are available to everybody. Self-care while battling COVID-19 is an ongoing process, before, during and after diagnosis, right from washing hands to making sure to monitor your health.
There are some commonly known tips that you can imbibe in your fight against COVID-19:
- Rest
- Drink plenty of fluids
- Stay active
These may apply to most illnesses and may be common knowledge, but Dr Faheem Younous a frontline doctor, shared a few notes on Twitter today:
- For nasal congestion - Oxymetazoline 0.05 % nasal spray/Vicks steam inhalation
- For sore throat - salt water gargles
- For Fever/aches - paracetamol/ibuprufen tabs
- For shortness of breath - sleep prone, O2 if pulse ox <90
He also made sure to let everybody know, "Call you doctor if severe disease."
Mental health and a positive outlook should perhaps play an important role as well. As the world slowly comes out of the crisis, all we can do is practice a bit of self-care, while taking all precautions.
Please bear in mind, the information provided the article cannot substitute medical advice.
