· Fever with cough and cold is flu, unless proved
otherwise.
· No fever, no flu
· In low risk patients (no pregnancy, not a newborn/elderly
or no comorbidity), with no breathlessness, no testing, hospital admission
and/or Tamiflu is required.
· People with co-morbid conditions, pregnant women
and the elderly should not ignore flu
· No breathlessness, then only digital consultation
to avoid crossinfection.
· For the general public, simple surgical mask; for
doctors, N95 mask
· Wearing a mask is a must in registration counters
· There should be separate line for labs/x-ray, with
people wearing a mask.
· Children suffering from flu should be allowed leave
from school.
· Office workers suffering from flu should be given
paid holiday.
· Flu patients should enter the doctor’s chamber
wearing a mask.
· In low risk patients, it does not matter, if it is
swine flu or the common flu. Cough hygiene is same for both. Keep distance of 3
feet; hand wash with soap and water after coughing or sneezing, cover your nose
or mouth with a tissue when coughing, promptly dispose used tissues; throw the
used tissue in a waste basket and if you don't have a tissue, cough or sneeze
into your upper sleeve, not your hands
· Tamiflu is effective only if given in the first 48
hours unless you are a high risk patient. Even then, it only shortens the
duration by one day.
· Tamiflu is not given without testing, which costs
around Rs. 4000/-. So if you are a low risk patient, why spend this amount?
Dr KK Aggarwal
Padma Shri Awardee
President
Elect Confederation of Medical Associations in
Asia and Oceania (CMAAO)
Group Editor-in-Chief IJCP Publications
President Heart Care Foundation of India
Immediate Past National President IMA
