Cases Of Self-Medicating For Fever, Cold Surged Up: Appeal to all those who have fever, cold symptoms to visit doctors instead of staying home and neglecting it

feverr and cold

Dr. Tushar Rane, Internal Medicine Expert, Apollo Spectra Hospital Mumbai

Coronavirus is a matter of concern in India. Due to fear of coronavirus-like symptoms, people don’t discuss fever, cold to anyone and resort to home-based treatment. Doctors are concerned that people should not be scared and visit doctors immediately for timely treatment.

Hospitals, clinics and medical staff started taking extra precautions to break the transmission and the pattern of the disease. Maintained a high level of hygiene, are providing safe OPD services, cleaning rooms and all surfaces sanitized and changing linens twice a day for patients.

Monsoon will be resulting in the rise of seasonal snivels, fevers, dengue, and respiratory infections. With the similarity of these diseases in symptoms to COVID-19, people are becoming increasingly confused as to whether they have the novel coronavirus or a common cough.

As monsoon illness are on the rise, it has been noticed that people, out of fear of COVID-19, are not sharing symptoms to neighbors or relatives, nor are they reaching a doctor clinic, instead, they are self-medicating by preferring over-the-counter medications from nearby medical stores or home-based treatment. So, when people come at the last minute when the symptoms worsen, it may be difficult for the treating doctor to make a correct diagnosis of whether it is COVID-19 or a common cold, cough. Delay in the treatment can be problematic for the patients. Said Dr Rane.

In the last 3 months, social media and anxiety has made people read and talk about the symptoms of COVID 19 creating confusion and difficulty in distinguishing between the similar symptoms of dengue and chikungunya especially cold, cough, fever, and chills. Do not fret and visit doctors as safe OPD services are provided to the patients. Doctors wear PPE kits, masks, follow social distancing norms, sanitization is done and equipment is disinfected from time to time.

City doctors urge people, especially children suffering from any illness, people should not take it lightly. As many symptoms can be misleading and need medical attention people should not be scared and visit nearby clinics or doctors immediately.