Q ) What is this Novel Corona Virus and Covid -19 Pandemic ?
Ans )A novel coronavirus is a new coronavirus that has not been previously identified. The virus causing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), is not the same as the coronaviruses that commonly circulate among humans and cause mild illness, like the common cold.Corona a Virus pandemic is disease COVID-19 caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The disease was first identified in Wuhan, Hubei, China in December 2019
- Q) How does the infection spread ?
Ans)Droplet infection.Human-to-human transmission via respiratory droplets
- Q) What are the Clinical symptoms ?
Ans) Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have COVID–19: Cough, Breathlessness or difficulty breathing, Fever, Chills, Muscle Pain,Bodyaches,Sore Throat, Headaches , Loss of Taste , Loss of Smell.Fatigue.
- Q) Who are at risk of Covid19 ?
Ans) Though age is no criteria of getting infection . But the Elder age group people above 60yrs having some underlying systemic diseases are at high risk as co morbidity. People suffering from Diabetes , Blood Pressure, Heart patients, Asthma, COPD, Cancer and Renal failure patients on Dialysis etc. are on highest risk , due to low or compromised immunity.
- Q) Can this disease or infection be prevented?
Ans) Though there is medicine as Preventive and No Vaccine has been developed as yet. Certainly if the general immunity of people are kept high and better then certainly are less vulnerable to get the infection and even if one gets it they will be able to fight infection better and may suffer with lesser intensity and chances of recovery will be better and sooner. Though all other precautions like Mask, Washing hands frequently and Maintaining Social Distance of paramount importance and should be adhered by all means.
- Q) Is there any specific Allopathic treatment for this which is effective and curative ?
Ans) Unfortunately there has been no specific treatment fixed as yet. WHO protocol of treatment is being followed including Anti Malaria drugs, Anti Flue treatment, Drugs which are used for HIV / AIDS are also being prescribed in the course of treatment.
- Q) What is the success rate of the treatment?
Ans) Most of the patients get ok by themselves with in few days. Many patients remain Asymptomatic despite being tested CovidPositive , Those patients with comorbidity factors or Smokers etc. suffer a greater deal . Respiratory or Cardiac symptoms like ARDS (Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome),Fibrosis of Lungs or Thrombosis , or Multi organ failure usually leads to death.
- Q) What about Alternative System of Medicines , do they have some effective treatment.?
Ans) Since it is new disease and there has been no known specific medicines or treatment known . Though there has been literature available which confirms the very effective role of Homoeopathy treatment given during the Epidemic of Spanish Flu in 1918 and also during the Epidemic of Encephalitis also Homoeopathy has been used very effectively. There was Genus Epidemicus medicine given as Preventive to large number population and was saved from suffering.
- Q) Is Government giving these Alternative system of medicine any chance to treat the covidpatients ?
Ans) Though Government has given an Advisory released by the Ministry of AYUSH for boosting the Immunity. Government has agreed very late to give permission for Research for Clinical trials with the guidelines of ICMR and CSIR to Homoeopathy and Ayurveda. So far the results are encouraging, but that has been done at a very few places on a limited number of patients.
- Q) Your views about the integrated approach of treatment to tackle Corona Crisis with Covid-19 ?
Ans) I think asCorona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome novel coronavirus 2 (SARS-nCoV-2). It is named “novel” as it has not been previously identified.The clinical presentation is that of a severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) ranging from a mild common cold like illness, to a severe viral pneumonia leading to potentially fatal acute respiratory distress syndrome. The World Health Organization (WHO) was informed of an outbreak of pneumonia of unknown aetiology in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China on 31 December 2019. Since then, it assumed an epidemic proportion, deteriorating rapidly and spreading within a month to many countries, with the WHO declaring it a pandemic.
India is an advantageous stage as the general precautionary measures like Lockdown etc. was done very timely, but despite that there has been regular rise in cases. Govt. should have stressed on doing the maximum testings.
As for the treatment is concerned since no concrete treatment has been evolved and every now and the there are changes in the protocols. Under such circumstances Govt. should have incorporated Homoeopathy as an adjuvant therapy along with their standard Protocol and management. Since patients are showing different set of symptoms and modalities apart from being Covid Positive as an individual. Homoeopathy basically treats the patients on Individualisation only ,would help the patients recover faster and without any adverse effects of the drugs . Those who are Asymptomatic and are in Quarantine a team of Homoeopathic doctors of CCRH could have been deputed there to see and study the cases and probably been able to come out with few effective medicines and with Genus Epidemicus also which could have been use as Prophylactic also.
There would have been a real study with evidence and data, for further research and use also .
Patients staying at Quarantine centres could have been given Prophylaxis or immunity booster medicines and could get the data that how many patients need further hospitalisation and their pattern of stay and intensity of the symptoms could have been noted and validated simultaneously. Treatment available in the modern medicine or allopathy.
There could have been other group with milder symptoms treated with Homoeopathy only and seen the effect practically. Same module could have been done for Ayurveda also separately. By doing this the Research would have been done with Practical validity on patients.
The research pattern of ICMR ,CSIR of being Random Control Trial or Double Blind Control Trial methods would take time and will have more difficulties. Reason being since Homoeopathy is a Science with the principle of Individualisation so it has to be Patient oriented and not disease oriented.
Integrated Approach is theNeed of Time in Absence of Definite Conventional
Treatment for the Welfare Covid-19 Patients.
Prof. Dr.A.K.Gupta, MD(Hom.)
Director-AKGsOVIHAMS(Om Vidyua Institute of Homoeopathy and Allied Medical Sciences)
President – Homoeopathic Medical Association Of India , Delhi State
RU-115, Pitam Pura, New Delhi-11034
M – 7011842322
Email- [email protected]
Web – www.ovihams.com