Data suggests 85 pc COVID-19 patients will recover without specific treatment such as Remdesivir: AIIMS Director
Apr 21, 2021
New Delhi [India], April 21 : Amid a surge in COVID-19 cases and concern over availability of beds, AIIMS Delhi Director Dr Randeep Guleria on Wednesday said that there is enough data to suggest that "more than 85 per cent of patients will recover without any specific treatment in the form of Remdesivir, steriods and any other drugs".
Addressing issues related to COVID-19 along with Dr Devi Shetty, Chairman, Narayana Health and Dr Naresh Trehan, Chairman, Medanta, Dr Guleria said that only 15 per cent of patients may go to "moderate disease" and they need treatment in the form of Remdesivir, steroids, anti-coagulants and sometimes convalescent plasma.
"The most important thing to understand is (that) in COVID-19, we have now enough data that more than 85 per cent will recover without any specific treatment in the form of Remdesivir, steroids and any other drugs. Most of them will have features like the common cold, body ache, fever, sore throat, some may have gastritis and over a period of five-seven days, they will recover with just symptomatic treatment which means just paracetamol, keeping yourself hydrated, doing your regular exercise, taking vitamins and just being positive about your health," he said.
"It's only 15 per cent of people who may go on to what we call moderate disease where your oxygen saturation may fall and you have a high fever, there will be markers to suggest the ongoing information. Only in that percentage of people who have other features to suggest that disease is progressed that we need to give treatment in the form of Remdesivir, steroids, anticoagulants and sometimes we also give convalescent plasma" he added.
Dr Guleria it is important to understand that "most of us who are either in home isolation or even in hospitals because of panic don't need any specific treatment".
"Like you treat a simple cold, you can get away with treating cold with a majority of people taking just paracetamol and keeping yourself well hydrated," he said.
India reported 2,95,041 new COVID-19 cases and 2,023 deaths on Wednesday, a record-high since the pandemic broke out last year.
