Wear a mask; wash your hands frequently; keep the elderly, children and those with comorbidities away from people suffering from fever and cold/cough — these are some of the points mentioned in a Covid advisory issued by the state health department on Monday.
Someone who tests positive for Covid should remain in isolation for a week, said the advisory.
It also mentioned that strains of Covid circulating in the state “are known to cause just mild symptoms”.
A senior official of the state health department said about 15 people who tested positive for Covid were under treatment in various hospitals in the state on Tuesday. Half of them do not require any oxygen support.
“Crowd or mass gatherings to be avoided as far as possible; especially by the elderly, children, pregnant women and persons with comorbidities”, the advisory said. “If compelled to enter into a crowd or travel in a mass transit, please use proper mask irrespective of age.”
Children should also be encouraged to wash their hands frequently, the advisory added.
People can seek help by dialling 14416, the advisory said.
Some of the other points mentioned that those with fever and sore throat/cold/cough should go for a Covid test.
Children or people at higher risk should be taken to a doctor or a hospital without any delay.
Among those at higher risk were people suffering from heart, kidney, liver or lung ailments; those who are diabetic; those suffering from cancer; people who are HIV positive and those who take immunosuppressive drugs or are on steroids for long.
Chandramouli Bhattacharya, an infectious disease expert at the Peerless Hospital, said a large number of people did not take their booster doses of Covid vaccine. “There were many who did not take any shot of the vaccine. I would again suggest that people should complete their Covid vaccination.”
The health department’s advisory also stressed vaccination. It urged people to “take the precaution dose of Covid vaccine” if they have not taken it already.
