Breathing exercise to reverse quarantine: Doctors issue fresh guidelines to keep COVID at bay this fall

Srinagar: Doctors have advised `reverse quarantine’ for people having comorbidities to keep COVID 19 at bay this fall.

Doctors have issued detailed dos and do nots asking people to adhere to SOPs and take extra precautions this winter.

“People must avoid overcrowded places. Living rooms should be well ventilated with a proper heating arrangement. Those with comorbidities must be `reverse quarantined’. They should always maintain a two-meter physical distance from other family members. Elderly people with comorbidities must get an influenza vaccine shot to prevent Influenza pneumonia,” said Dr. Suhail Naik, President, Doctors Association Kashmir.

Dr. Naik said people can take flu shot any time if they have missed it in September and October. “It takes four weeks to get the immune system boosted after a vaccine shot. People should avoid exposure to harsh winters. Extreme cold temperatures invariably compromise innate respiratory immunity and therefore increase susceptibility to viral respiratory infections,” he said.

Dr. Naik also advised people to do breathing exercises regularly as they will increase the vital capacity of the lungs and overall breathing mechanism.

“People should also go for testing voluntarily if they develop respiratory catarrhal. Testing, tracing, tracking, isolation are only effective measures to contain the Covid pandemic. Those who develop symptoms consistent with Covid-19 like muscle pain, fever, sore throat, loss of taste and or smell must self-isolate to break the chain of infection,” he said.

A senior resident doctor at Covid ward said for the last one week, the number of cases is showing an increasing trend. “Our hospital admits 10-12 patients per day mostly people above 50 years of age with underlying symptoms”, he said

Last week, the government had said that the recovery rate has crossed 92 percent in Jammu and Kashmir.

Official figures reveal that Jammu and Kashmir has 104715 positive cases. Of whom 5560 are active positive and 97537 have recovered. Around 1618 have died — 548 in Jammu division and 1070 in Kashmir division.

Of the 2729618 samples tested, 2624903 have come back negative till November 19.

To date, 751735 persons have been enlisted for observation which included 19216 persons in home quarantine including facilities operated by the government, 5560 in isolation, and 42789 in home surveillance. Besides, 682552 persons have completed their surveillance period.