Health experts caution against taking over-the-counter antibiotics, say consult doctor if there are allergy, viral or Coronavirus symptoms
Doctors said viruses become more active with the drop in temperature, leading to rise in illnesses. Representation pic
Daily cases of Covid-19 have drastically reduced over the past few days, but there’s been a rise in respiratory infections owing to a sudden drop in mercury, unseasonal rain and air pollution. Health experts fear the city may witness an increase in allergy, viral and Coronavirus cases, as viruses become more active in such weather conditions. They cautioned against taking over-the-counter antibiotics.
“In cold weather, people mostly get viral infections and antibiotics are not needed for its treatment. Also, doctors should encourage flu patients to get tested for Covid-19 to prevent further transmission,” said Dr Santosh Bansode, HoD, Emergency Medicine, Wockhardt Hospitals, Mumbai Central.
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BKC Jumbo COVID Care Centre’s dean Dr Rajesh Dhere acknowledged that there has been a rise in upper respiratory tract (nose, mouth, throat) infections over the past few days. On Covid-19, he said “numbers would become negligible in the next few days, but we may see a spike again from the second week of February.”
Dr Wiqar Shaikh, professor of medicine at Grant Medical College and Sir JJ Group of Hospitals, said, “The unseasonal rain has brought along the influenza virus amid the third Covid-19 wave. We are now seeing an exponential rise in cases of upper respiratory infections, cough, and fever. The smog in the city has aggravated asthma and bronchitis.”
“People with cough, cold or breathlessness should immediately consult a physician and rule out any underlying health issues, including Covid-19. If the symptoms are neglected, it could lead to pneumonia and subsequent hospitalisation,” he added.
Don’t take antibiotics
Dr Shaikh pointed out that “antibiotics have no role in a viral infection and should be used only if there is a confirmed bacterial infection. Patients should be warned that the use of over-the-counter medications, like antibiotics, may in some cases lead to allergic reactions, like skin rashes, breathing difficulty, etc. General physicians also need to be cautioned against giving medicines for Covid-19 without a confirmed RT-PCR test.”
Dr Subhash Hira, professor of Global Health at University of Washington-Seattle said, “There are seven common winter illnesses: 1) cold that typically lasts 7-10 days; 2) RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) causes infection in the lungs and airways that usually lasts 1-2 weeks, and symptoms are cold-like, with a wheezing/whistle-like breathing; 3) Influenza (flu) infection lasts from 3-7 days, and if caught within the first 48 hours, tamiflu/antiflu can reduce the duration of the infection. The symptoms include muscle aches, fever, headache, fatigue, dry cough, runny nose, and sore throat; 4) croup, a viral infection, that can last for 1 week, and symptoms are barking cough and hoarseness with fever and runny nose; 5) pneumonia that can last for 2-3 weeks, and symptoms include cough with yellow or green mucus, chest pain, chills, high fever and rapid breathing; 6) strep throat that can last 1-2 days, and symptoms are sore throat, trouble swallowing, fever and stomach ache; and 7) stomach flu, a viral infection in the intestines that can last for 1-3 days, and symptoms are stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, mild fever, fatigue, and watery diarrhoea.”
Preventing and dealing with winter illnesses
. Frequently wash hands with soap, or use sanitiser, and wear face masks
. Sanitise door handles, knobs, toys and any commonly used surfaces
. Take paracetamol (crocin) as per body weight if there’s fever
. If there’s vomiting, take small doses of electrolytes to stay hydrated
. If you have stuffy nose and cough, use vaporisers
. Honey licks for children, gargling with warm water for adults in case of sore throat
. Watch your child’s activity levels and appetite. Consult your doctor if your child is lethargic, has a high fever, is barely eating and/or is dehydrated
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