Starting today, Indore will ground a new COVID-19 facility, to administer Remdesivir injections to all coronavirus patients showcasing mild to moderate symptoms of the infection. The brainchild of Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College and Maharaja Yeshwantrao Hospital administration, the facility is touted to be the first-of-its-kind, where hospital beds will be vacated for critically-ill coronavirus patients.
Earlier, the novel facility was set to begin in the New TB and Chest Ward of the hospital. However, due to last-minute changes in the planning, it was slated to kickstart functions from a dedicated ward in Superspeciality Hospital and MTH from Wednesday.
COVID-19 treatment now available – without hospitalisation
Most mild to moderate symptomatic COVID-19 patients get admitted to hospitals and other COVID care facilities for only 5-6 days, during which they are administered the Remdesivir injections. Now, this daycare COVID facility will ensure injections to these people while circumventing the need to get admitted to the hospital. Consequently, about 20% of hospital beds will be cleared, stated a medical officer.
As per the superintendent of MY Hospital, the new daycare centre will offer the Remdesivir injections to only the people exhibiting mild to moderate COVID symptoms. The Remdesivir drug has proven to be life-saving in COVID-crisis and is usually given to patients with over 20 per cent of lung involvement. The official further stated that hospitals will provide CT scan and pathology services (blood testing) to govern the severity of the COVID infection.
COVID-19 vaccination drive in Indore
In a bid to intensify the COVID-vaccination drive in the Indore district, the Divisional Commissioner has announced that every civic ward here will get their own vaccination centres. This will ensure that people do not have to travel much to get the COVID-19 vaccine jab. Besides this, permission has been granted to initiate mobile vaccination units to the private hospitals to penetrate deeper into townships and societies to vaccinate people.
Starting April 1, the vaccination drive will further be expanded to inoculate people over the age of 45 years. Until now, only healthcare workers, frontline workers and people over the age of 60 years and those over 45 years with comorbidities were allowed to get the coronavirus vaccine.