[dsnaveen21]

Hello Guys,

My sister in law got Covid-19, she is asymptomatic, right now she is 1 separate room in same house, should we wait for 14 days for re-test or we can do test in middle of 14 days like within 8-9 days.

Thanks,

[paragsachania]

We can spend all day passing judgements on whether steam inhalation is needed to fight Covid or not but the fact remains that we all have grown-up learning this from our childhood and it remains one of the most tried and tested method to reduce coughing and thinning of the phlegm. Kids who struggle to take out phlegm manage it with ease after a session of steam inhalation.

While there may not be substantial evidence if steam inhalation is one of the many de-facto methods during these testing times of Covid, we all very well know how it has helped us, especially whenever it had to do with respiratory and nasal blocks.

With this, I personally will not discount the practice of steam inhalation, if done within limits and not as a hobby five times a day.

[poloman]

A well researched article with out usual blame game.
If we don't have technicians to install the ventilators and use them, all that you can do is blame the equipment. Kerala is a model in the whole story which other states should follow.
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/stor...473-2021-05-17

[Fillmore]

Originally Posted by dsnaveen21

Hello Guys,

My sister in law got Covid-19, she is asymptomatic, right now she is 1 separate room in same house, should we wait for 14 days for re-test or we can do test in middle of 14 days like within 8-9 days.

Thanks,

You can do a Rapid Antigen test.
I believe now it has a 90% accuracy.

Depending on where you live an RTPCR is suggested only after 14 days ( just to reduce the load on the system for processing a positive RTPCR )
What I mean is for example if you are in Bangalore , a Positive RTPCR will get processed by BBMP and have to undergo the whole process.

[Sran]

Originally Posted by dsnaveen21

Hello Guys,

My sister in law got Covid-19, she is asymptomatic, right now she is 1 separate room in same house, should we wait for 14 days for re-test or we can do test in middle of 14 days like within 8-9 days.

Thanks,

ICMR guidelines states that there is no need for RT-PCR after 14 days. Furthermore, being an RNA their is always a slight chance of results coming back positive even after 3-4 weeks. The viral shedding however stops after 10 days. So there is no need. Keep on monitoring the situation.

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by Lobogris

With respect, Sir, this is mainly a respiratory disease. It travels via air in an enclosed space with sufficient exposure. Any particle falling on hands, clothing or mouth gets dried and rendered harmless within a few minutes. Hence this fear of clothing and body getting infected and passing it on is rather overblown. This has now been acknowledged by most experts as well.

Please do not underplay the risks involving the virus, and read what I've written once again, and very carefully. I fully understand the modes of transmission of the virus.

[Akshay6988]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

We can spend all day passing judgements on whether steam inhalation is needed to fight Covid or not but the fact remains that we all have grown-up learning this from our childhood and it remains one of the most tried and tested method to reduce coughing and thinning of the phlegm. Kids who struggle to take out phlegm manage it with ease after a session of steam inhalation.

I can relate to this, I suffered from child asthama till I was about age of 8 - 9. Even slightest of cold would make breathing very difficult for me. My paediatrician advised my mum to give me steam to help me breath. Even now days I take steam occasionally, feels good and it does clear cough ! My mom ( a banker) takes steam daily after returning from her office

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by Akshay6988

I can relate to this, I suffered from child asthama till I was about age of 8 - 9. Even slightest of cold would make breathing very difficult for me. My paediatrician advised my mum to give me steam to help me breath. Even now days I take steam occasionally, feels good and it does clear cough ! My mom ( a banker) takes steam daily after returning from her office

Absolutely. In my home, steaming is where it starts from for blocked nose or occasional congestion, something that we normally see in growing up kids and I must admit that it helps a lot.

So, steam inhalation is here to stay even if whoever advises us against it because it is a simple tried and tested method to beat many respiratory ailments. It will do less harm than good if one practices this regularly and does not overdo it.

[catkins]

Originally Posted by Fillmore

Dr. Mathew Varghese, senior doctor at St. Stephen’s Hospital, Delhi, undertakes a clear, step-by-step, exposition of the timeline of the progress of Covid- 19 and its treatment protocol

Thanks for sharing. Clear understanding and good communication

[Gsynch]

Go with paracetamol only. Anti-viral drugs (Favipiravir) won't have much role after the initial 2-3 days, as the virus has already probably migrated to the lower respiratory tract, judging by the absence of throat symptoms and presence of chest symptoms. Steroid (Budesonide) inhahers with our without bronchodilators may help the chest congestion. But please check with your physician. Steam inhalation might also do the same trick without any danger of side effects (except burns!).

1. Paracetamol and vitamins they are the mainstay. Keep monitoring her respiratory effort and oxygen levels. Antiviral may not help and are not indicated in the majority.
2. Cycle threshold indicates the viral load in a patient and doesn't go well with the clinical presentation or course of illness.
3. Testing can wait. Isolate and if symptomatic adopt COVID appropriate behaviour and start recommended supportive measures.
4. Interaction with kids is paramount. Isolation for them is traumatic for their mental health. Wear N95 at home, wash your hands frequently and other COVID appropriate behaviour as much as feasible. If your kids are slightly older they too can use N95.

Dear Doctors, thank you very much for your sound advice which surely has helped us to tide over the challenging times. Kids are doing fine, Wife has completed her 15th Day since the onset of symptoms and I remain asymptomatic. Here are few quick questions which i feel might be useful to others too:

1. Do I need to get any tests done e.g. Chest x-ray for the wife, she doesn't have symptoms since last week and doing fine.

2. Though I have remained asymptomatic all this while but I assume I was infected too (got the first dose of covishiled on 21st Mar), do I need to get any tests as a follow-up to remove any uncertainties?

Thank you for your time!

[bblost]

I am not disputing the use of steaming for relieving the symptoms of a blocked nose and sinuses.

But it appears that steam is being touted as a cure or a preventive thing for Covid-19.

I don't think it can do anything to reduce the viral load and protect an already infected person. If the virus in your system, no steam is going to protect you from it.

Steam cannot disinfect and sanitize your airways.

[Zen2001]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Yes, it could have escaped from a lab unwittingly. Or it could be natural.
At this time, there is not enough evidence

Originally Posted by DigitalOne

The article is pretty damning. At least give it a full read before killing the messenger by needless insinuations.

Originally Posted by venkyhere

Make that plausible in capitals - PLAUSIBLE.

On the above posts (and many on the controversies of the origin of the "Wuhan virus") - If only such theories could help in mitigating the effects of the pandemic, would they have any relevance at this point of time. Like something along the lines of a guaranteed antidote. Scientists, virologists and epidemiologists could either devote their time, knowledge and resources trying to prove/disprove such theories, OR they could utilise the same to study genomics, mutations, transmission, virulence - and come up with strategic plans to mitigate these - what would you prefer?

Originally Posted by bblost

The Tamil Nadu Govt has issued a statement saying this steam inhalation is a bad idea and should not be done.

Originally Posted by kiku007

[*]The government recommended it for reasons unknown.[*]Social media abuzz with this new steam inhalation thing.[*]A bunch overzealous people did publicity stunts like the above.[*]Government clarifies.[*]Not many will care about Point#4

Originally Posted by Sran

Thermal inactivation of SARS COVID-2 virus: Are steam inhalations a potential treatment? https://www.researchgate.net/publica...tial_treatment

Originally Posted by paragsachania

With this, I personally will not discount the practice of steam inhalation, if done within limits and not as a hobby five times a day.

Originally Posted by Akshay6988

Even now days I take steam occasionally, feels good and it does clear cough ! My mom ( a banker) takes steam daily after returning from her office

Originally Posted by paragsachania

So, steam inhalation is here to stay even if whoever advises us against it because it is a simple tried and tested method to beat many respiratory ailments. It will do less harm than good if one practices this regularly and does not overdo it.

On all the above posts on steam - the issue seems to be "heating up" quite a bit!
The issue is that we just need anything to make an issue. Now that the oxygen issues is fading into the background (relatively), we are trailing our guns on such a basic common sense practice like steam inhalation. Everyone needs to calm down! From infants to elders, steam has a generally helpful role in keeping the upper respiratory tract clear, especially in those predisposed to congestion. Now if by chance, this steam inactivates/kills some SARS-CoV-2 viruses who were "innocent bystanders" in the nose/nasopharynx, that's just good luck, isn't it? Nobody's claiming it to be a 100% prevention or cure, although it may still provide significant symptomatic benefits without the side effects of any drugs.

Originally Posted by dsnaveen21

My sister in law got Covid-19, she is asymptomatic, right now she is 1 separate room in same house, should we wait for 14 days for re-test or we can do test in middle of 14 days like within 8-9 days.

No need to re test again if the first test was positive. The tricky bit is, being asymptomatic, there is no timeline for isolation based on symptoms (or the conversion from symptomatic to asymptomatic) - you will have to follow the isolation protocol from the date of testing.

Originally Posted by Gsynch

1. Do I need to get any tests done e.g. Chest x-ray for the wife, she doesn't have symptoms since last week and doing fine.
2. Though I have remained asymptomatic all this while but I assume I was infected too (got the first dose of covishiled on 21st Mar), do I need to get any tests as a follow-up to remove any uncertainties?
!

1. None, unless she has pre existing pulmonary conditions, esp COPD

2. None. We'll not go into the controversies of antibody testing post asymptomatic infections that may likely affect the antibody response to vaccination. There are some proponents of the same.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by bblost

But it appears that steam is being touted as a cure or a preventive thing for Covid-19.

Just like some of the good practices are being followed from time immemorial, steam inhalation is also one of them.

Just like the whole world advised to stay fit with physical activity to keep our lungs working strong, steam was also advised to keep our respiratory system free. In this wave, we all know even the most fittest couldn't escape the infection from Covid.

If anyone still thinks inhaling steam is going to keep them away from catching Covid or even cure them from it, they are totally wrong. Also, if anyone still ignores whatever benefits inhalation provides to keep the system clean, they are wrong too. After all, after that busy day at work, traveling in dusty environment, all you want is a clean respiratory passage before you go to bed and breathe easy and Covid is SARS.

[venkyhere]

Originally Posted by Zen2001

On the above posts (and many on the controversies of the origin of the "Wuhan virus") - If only such theories could help in mitigating the effects of the pandemic, would they have any relevance at this point of time. Like something along the lines of a guaranteed antidote. Scientists, virologists and epidemiologists could either devote their time, knowledge and resources trying to prove/disprove such theories, OR they could utilise the same to study genomics, mutations, transmission, virulence - and come up with strategic plans to mitigate these - what would you prefer?

Vide that logic, history need not be taught as a basic subject in school. If only the virologist community (as per that article) had blown the lid off the suppressed truth and truthfully declared that all scientific evidence suggests it's a man-made virus --- whether such a 'truth disclosure' would have contributed to vaccine development or medical care enhancement or not -- it would definitely have helped governments and the people with "fear". Nothing motivates self-preservation more than fear.

Instead of statements like "just another flu, no need to panic" , we the people would have heard, "this is a man made virus, we don't know whether the leak is intentional or an accident" : it would have had a diametrically opposite effect on covid discipline. Lockdowns would have stayed real lockdowns (instead of dilute ones) and the spread resulting from idiotic social gatherings wouldn't have led to ridiculous exponential spreading. It would have made the situation easier for all medical and paramedical staff, who are being pushed to the limits, as we speak. The pandemic would have had a much shorter and much narrower reach.

So, pointing out (or even bringing up for discussion as a theory) past mistakes/criminal designs, IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. Because these are lessons to be learnt. Next time governments and 'philanthropists' graciously fund "microbial" (ahem...) research for "strictly civilian, benign" (ahem.. ahem...) purposes, they will fear a media exposure/scrutiny/backlash at the bare minimum.

[AZT]

An interesting article if anyone is in for a long read

In a 1975 article, the British economist Charles Goodhart had stated: “Any observed statistical regularity will tend to collapse once pressure is placed upon it for control purposes.” This came to be known as the Goodhart’s law. Of course, like many other laws in economics, the Goodhart’s law has also not been stated in simple English.
...
As Bergstrom and West further explain: “If sufficient rewards are attached to some measure, people will find ways to increase their scores one way or another, and in doing so will undercut the value of the measure for assessing what it was originally designed to assess.”
...
Now what does the Goodhart’s law have to do with the covid pandemic? As the covid pandemic struck and spread, different measures have been used to get an idea of its strength (for the lack of a better term). These include daily increase in covid cases, the total number of tests carried out in a district and a state, the total number of covid deaths, etc.

As per Goodhart’s law, these different measures have become targets. And that has led to different state governments trying to game these measures, in order to make themselves look good and tell the world at large that they have the covid pandemic under control.

https://vivekkaul.com/2021/05/17/but...hide-the-dead/