[warrioraks]

Hello doctors,

My mother has been having fever since last three days (ranging between 98 to 101). She also has cough which is very similar to what she gets every season change. No loss of taste or smell, however the cough does get violent once in a while. Her Spo2 levels are fluctuating between 94 to 97.

Today we consulted a doctor on Practo and he suggested a tablet - Indoc 75 for two consecutive nights if fever goes beyond 100. I looked up the internet and this medicine seems to be more for inflammation rather than fever, but I know Google based knowledge is half-baked/dangerous in such scenarios. Can a doctor please provide opinion on usage of this medicine (Indoc 75).

Right now she is taking paracetamol 500 mg thrice a day which doctor has suggested to stop.

[drrajasaravanan]

Originally Posted by warrioraks

Hello doctors,

My mother has been having fever since last three days (ranging between 98 to 101). She also has cough which is very similar to what she gets every season change. No loss of taste or smell, however the cough does get violent once in a while. Her Spo2 levels are fluctuating between 94 to 97.

Today we consulted a doctor on Practo and he suggested a tablet - Indoc 75 for two consecutive nights if fever goes beyond 100. This medicine seems to be more for inflammation rather than fever, but I know Google based knowledge is half-baked/dangerous in such scenarios. Can a doctor please provide opinion on usage of this medicine (Indoc 75).

Right now she is taking paracetamol 500 mg thrice a day which doctor has suggested to stop.

Hi,
Please do not take Indoc 75mg which I suspect is Indomethacin which is preferably avoided. Paracetamol is safe and can be taken between 4 to 6mg in adult patients who do not have any liver problems.
Treat this as COVID unless proven otherwise. Start her on regular Paracetamol every 4 to 6 H and don't wait for the fever to climb up for the next couple of days and than you can reduce the dosage. Start standard medications for COVID and keep a watch on her oxygen levels and breathing pattern. We are not wrong in being extra cautious. Lack of smell or taste is usually not early symptoms. Kindly change the doctor who opined this time.

[nda992]

Originally Posted by shreevishnu

We all pay a lot in taxes, and get nothing in return in comparison. You pay toll for good roads, road tax is used to ensure that potholes exists to cover up later. Civic amenities in general are always a mixed bag, no power - buy ups/generator, no water - buy sump/bore well/pump, not sewage - put stp, dirty water - buy RO. Instead of asking why we need to do all this when we pay taxes, we listen, adapt, adjust & act appropriately. Most of middle class India spends its life earnings on building that ivory tower within an Apartment project or gated community so that they don’t have to deal with the deficiencies of govt services.

Very true, a nation gets the politicians and officials, it actually deserves. The people of India suffer from Nelson's eye and later start cribbing that the system is wrong.

[sunilch]

Originally Posted by nda992

Very true, a nation gets the politicians and officials, it actually deserves. The people of India suffer from Nelson's eye and later start cribbing that the system is wrong.

Originally Posted by shreevishnu

This is a rant, but bear with me for a moment.

The situation in India has always been, we are like this only, please adjust.

While everything that you have written is correct and factual, what you have missed is the fact that we in general do not want to be the one who introduces the change. We want revolution in thought, in work ethic, etc. But at the end of the day, it has to be done by someone else (Govt, Politicians, Leaders or even by our neighbors but not me myself). We believe that since we are paying the taxes (honestly or dishonestly), we are entitled to superior services and/or any service with privileges. We forget that the water, for example, that we are getting at home comes from a common source and it should be available to everyone with equal right. But since we are tax payers, we sometimes believe that we have the first right to it.

This is not however and endorsement of the corrupt or the incompetent leadership that we eventually have to adjust to. What my intention to say here is that if we want a change in the same, we need to work towards that as well. Simply working in private sector and then paying our taxes is one part of the equation. For better governance, we need to participate in it. Make use of our rights as the stake holders in the same. Yes the mechanism to do so is limited in reach for many but there are ways to contribute. From asking right questions to your local corporator to voting every time there is an election for example. We know the actual numbers. We know how educated Indians working in air-conditioned offices take pride in going for vacations during election days or criticizing local political leadership for not developing the roads in proper manner when compared to say USA, UK, etc. when they have never taken any interest in understanding why this is the case and what can we do about it.

Anyways, we may end up hijackings this tread's purpose.

[quickfox11]

Will keep this short.

Tested positive on 5th April with whole family after 3 days of falling ill.

Had moderate symptoms for next 4-5 days. Stopped taking usual meds afterwards.

Back to almost 95% of usual strength. Did not test again as per the doctors on the forum.

I would like to make myself available for anyone who needs: (Location - Pune, Non- Vaccinated)
- Plasma (whenever I can as per the doctors)
- Blood
- Volunteer Work (Early Mornings/Evenings/Weekends) / Donation
- A vehicle in emergency/Driver

Please DM if you need any help without hesitation.

It’s time to be just humane. Thanks!

P.S. I do not have any confirmed sources for beds/O2/meds but a lot of resources shared on chat groups which I keep receiving.

P.P.S. I feel there should be a support thread for each city (like meet-up threads).

[kinetic]

Originally Posted by Sankar

Had to look up who trevor noah is, so he's a south african comedian settled in the usa as per wiki. Glad that i'm born and living in India rather than trevor's home country.


Tell me (Is the South African Honda Amaze built better than the Indian model?) We dont know! But we have done more vaccinations

If you haven't heard of him, you wouldn't know that he's pretty good at calling out BS, including on matters pertaining to his home country. I'm also not sure what that graph is meant to suggest here since it speaks to vaccinations. Plenty of other countries are lagging behind on vaccinations, but they also put in the hard yards early to contain the spread through sustained govt efforts and public compliance. The real measures of Covid success are going to be mortality rates, % of positive tests, ICU and general bed availability. India is failing miserably on all these counts due to apathy/carelessness by leadership and general public, and that's exactly what he's calling out. We don't have to get all salty, but rather accept the mistakes made and do better collectively.

[Indian2003]

Originally Posted by kinetic

India is failing miserably on all these counts due to apathy/carelessness by leadership and general public, and that's exactly what he's calling out. We don't have to get all salty, but rather accept the mistakes made and do better collectively.

Not only India. Most countries are failing. The hospitals in the EU are at full capacity even with a tiny fraction of the population of India.

[thehighwayman]

Looking at the way this virus is evolving, booster shots of vaccines may become an annual affair. Pfizer and Moderna have already announced the need for a third shot. Expect that to be replicated here in India as well.

This virus may never go away but if we all get vaccinated, it will certainly be less lethal.

[m8002?]

Originally Posted by Sankar

Had to look up who trevor noah is, so he's a south african comedian settled in the usa as per wiki. Glad that i'm born and living in India rather than trevor's

Tell me (Is the South African Honda Amaze built better than the Indian model?) We dont know! But we have done more vaccinations

Talk about shooting the messenger!

What does more vaccinations even mean? We have done more vaccinations than Israel as well. Please check the covid status there.

http://www.livemint.com/companies/ne...929635283.html

[jkrishnakj]

Friends in Karnataka - Does anyone know the procedure for Remdisivir at Bangalore.

One of my close friends has a need. Couldn’t get more details on the call, she was continuously breaking down. All I know is that she’s desperately trying to arrange one.

[srishiva]

Saw a message on social media written by a Indian-American CEO in US. There is lot of things going on to help us. But US is worried about everything's need to go through PMO. I had posted few pages back how this centralization of power is hurting everywhere. Now I hope the Americans will tell us its not good. Some of the state's cant even raise a voice because they are from same side.

I am also not sure why we aren't even hearing many Minister's name in news. Where are they ? When you think everyone else is useless and only you can do anything, time to look deep.

[meerkat]

Originally Posted by meerkat

That may not be such a bad idea after all, -- at least for Covishield! :-). See, a study submitted to Lancet informs us that the efficacy of the vaccine increases with increasing interval between the two doses: 54.9% for a 4-week interval, 59.9% for 6 weeks, 63.7% for 9 weeks, and 82.4% for 12 weeks. Given the state of the art, it stands to reason that if the interval is increased to infinity (i.e. no second dose at all), the efficacy should increase to 100%! The way things stand now, I'd much rather go with this logic than brave jostling with hundreds for my second dose! :-)
.

Originally Posted by drrajasaravanan

There are few posts of people skipping the second dose and hoping they will be 100% immune to the virus. That is not true. Delaying the 2nd dose for 60 to 90 days gives better efficacy and if not done the efficacy goes down.

Dear doctor, perhaps you have missed the fact that my comment above was made tongue-in-cheek! But the point I was really making, remains.

See, a multitude of people like myself who have had the first dose of a vaccine, face this conundrum: when, or how, or if it is even prudent given the current situation, to go for the second dose braving the high risk of contracting the Covid from the hundreds one must come in close proximity to for hours in the process of doing so! Appropriate use of masks or physical distancing can not be expected, as you may very well know. Would it be a prudent choice to go for the vaccination anyway?

The only private provider of vaccination around my place (where I had my first dose) has stopped the service for good. And the government hospital and PHC centers are having mad rush if and when they happen to have some supply. It could even be futile wait for hours in a crowd for multiple days until one gets lucky, if ever!

As a Covishield recipient, I perhaps have the option of waiting upto 12 weeks from the first dose, hoping for the situation to become more manageable (but I doubt it, given the population, and availability of vaccines).

I know the efficacy is supposed to go down beyond a certain time, but what is that time? Is there a study you're privy to that establishes "90 days" as the maximum interval for Covishield? Some countries like UK and Australia specify a 12-week interval for the AstraZeneca vaccine, but I understand that Canada specifies 12 to 16 weeks!

Perhaps all these become moot, since India specifies an interval "not more than 8 weeks", so I'm not sure if beyond that point they will even accept a second dose as a valid one that completes the vaccination process for an individual!

So, this is a request for informed guidance in this regard from the esteemed doctors in the forum like yourself. Thanks.
.

[m8002?]

Originally Posted by meerkat

The only private provider of vaccination around my place (where I had my first dose) has stopped the service for good. And the government hospital and PHC centers are having mad rush if and when they happen to have some supply. It could even be futile wait for hours in a crowd for multiple days until one gets lucky, if ever!

As a Covishield recipient, I perhaps have the option of waiting upto 12 weeks from the first dose, hoping for the situation to become more manageable (but I doubt it, given the population, and availability of vaccines).

So, this is a request for informed guidance in this regard from the esteemed doctors in the forum like yourself. Thanks.
.

We are at a point where discussing the granularities at this level is moot. We have enough evidence to prove that the vaccine reduces the severity of the infection. So lets just get it done in the 6-8 weeks interval.

I am more concerned with the unavailability of the vaccines for the second dose.

[poloman]

Doctors on the forum, Lot reports are coming out that the condition of people on way to recovery suddenly deteriorates and die. Any idea why this is happening? How can one watch out for the danger signals?

[Sankar]

Originally Posted by kinetic

If you haven't heard of him, you wouldn't know that he's pretty good at calling out BS, including on matters pertaining to his home country. I'm also not sure what that graph is meant to suggest here since it speaks to vaccinations. Plenty of other countries are lagging behind on vaccinations, but they also put in the hard yards early to contain the spread through sustained govt efforts and public compliance. The real measures of Covid success are going to be mortality rates, % of positive tests, ICU and general bed availability. India is failing miserably on all these counts due to apathy/carelessness by leadership and general public, and that's exactly what he's calling out. We don't have to get all salty, but rather accept the mistakes made and do better collectively.

The infographic shows the hugeness of India compared to comedians home country and the country he is living in - i.e., ~ 23 times larger than SA and 4 times larger than USA. In a country divided by language and politics and ethnicity do you think its easy to manage something on a scale as large as this? Which other country has done anything better in covid? Do not point out to some tiny mono language mono ethnic country with a disciplined population, show me a country like India with at least half the population and as diverse as ours. A lot of people are also pretty good at good at threshing. Threshing means separating wheat from the chaff.