Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (JD)

Udupi, Mar 17: Indian Medical Association, Udupi - Karavali has initiated to distribute pamphlets to spread awareness about coronavirus.

Speaking about coronavirus, Dr Shashikiran, HoD Medicine Department Dr TMA Pai hospital said, "Coronaviruses are the reason for normal cold. But what we are seeing is a novel coronavirus. This virus is contagious. Diabetic patients, persons with heart disease and lungs disease and people above 60 age group are at high risk under this. Cough, sneezing are the primary indications of this disease. Prevention is the only cure for this disease. Clinical trials of many anti-viral medicines are being conducted. But these clinical trials require time to prove effective."

"We cannot predict that someone got cured due to a certain medicine until and unless it is proved by clinical trails. Over 80 per cent of people get mild diseases when infected with the coronavirus. Only 2-3 per cent of people have life risks. There is no proved medicine for this disease as of now. There is no vaccine for this disease either. Clinical tests of vaccines take a minimum of one year. There is a prescribed way of washing hands. Hands should be washed for a minimum of one minute. Doctors are washing their hands for 20 seconds before inspecting the suspected patients. Masks should be used by the suspected patient and their caretakers. There is no use of wearing a mask without any symptoms. A normal person touches his face 23 times in one hour without a reason. If we touch our mouth with the virus-infected hands the danger of the infection increases. A person wearing a mask should not remove it for a minimum for six hours. If the person removes mask for any reason it should be disposed of immediately," he added.

Talking about the social distancing Dr Shashi Kiran said, "Person with similar symptoms should be self-isolated. If a person arrives from corona-hit countries they should be quarantined to reduce the spread of the pandemic. We have advised our patients to skip regular check-ups and visit hospitals if anything serious is found in their body. Drinking more water helps. No antibiotic can help in overcoming this. While reporting to the hospital suspected patient should not use public transport."

Addressing media Dr PV Bhandary psychiatrist said, "Governments decision to close malls, theatres and restrictions on social gathering is helping in social distancing and to promote a reduction in the spread of the epidemic. The government should strictly enforce social distancing. Alcohol contained sanitizers are recommended to reduce the spread, this does not mean that alcohol kills the virus, this is false news.
Unless and until proved people should not believe in any sort of remedies."

Dr Madhusudhan Nayak district surgeon speaking about the measures to reduce the spread of epidemic said, "Now we are concentrating on isolating the persons whom the suspected patient had met. All the people returning from abroad should self-quarantine even if they do not have the symptoms, because 14-21 days may be required to see the symptoms."

Dr Umesh Prabhu president IMA, Dr Prakash Bhat secretary and others were present during the press meet.