Pic: UPMC

Faizel Patel – 15/08/2020

(Twitter: @FaizelPatel143)

As the country prepares to move to level 2 of the COVID-19 lockdown from Tuesday, a 46-year-old Muslim man who contracted the virus has told Radio Islam about his battle with the Coronavirus and how he almost died from the pandemic.

The man who preferred to remain anonymous is currently recovering at home after being more than two weeks in hospital.

He was admitted with serious conditions of the virus in what doctors diagnosed as COVID-19 Pneumonia.

The man has shared some important information with Radio Islam about managing the Coronavirus at home to benefit all those that have been infected with the virus.

• Diabetics are very high risk of having complications with Covid including elderly and if you have any underlying conditions.
• If you have Covid, and on any day, you have any or slight chest discomfort, chest pain or other sudden change in heart rate (even a couple of minutes), or difficulty breathing seek help (emergency or get examined by doctor / X-Ray) immediately rather than wait. It’s mostly easier during the day to get medical attention from your doctor than waiting for or until an emergency at night.
• If you have Covid and are in quarantine, a Pulse Oximeter and thermometer are really important to have on hand.
• Track your fever, heart rate and oxygen levels regularly during the day and night (and other vitals or conditions depending on your personal circumstances)
• View this article about a pulse oximeter for Covid and when you will need a hospital (it quotes Prof Shabir Madhi) – click here for article
• Below info on how to check your oxygen with an oximeter guide from Discovery – click here for article
• Call your doctor every second or third day and do a check in about fever, oxygen, etc. Don’t be on your own with this illness as it is really dangerous.
• Make sure the fever is controlled with the doctors prescribed medicines during the day and at night especially before sleeping.
• Day 5-8 of the illness from starting off mild seems critical to either deteriorate or head to recover 100% from a mild Covid. In general, be very sensitive to what your body is telling you all the time or how you are feeling and do not wait to have medical attention or think it will subside. Rather call and go to your doctor or have a telephonic consult on days 5-8 for oxygen level and general check-in if you have no pulse oximeter, thermometer at home.
• If an emergency occurs at home at any time, who will take you to the hospital? (Has to be someone in same house, so exposure of virus is contained rather than calling someone else outside your home (if so or from outside your home, they need to be prepared and have full type PPE to minimize their exposure.
• Which hospital will you be driven to if there is an emergency? (How far away is it ?) do you have the casualty or emergency number on hand to call them and alert them to prepare for your arrival.
• It is also critical to call and speak to the EMS or your doctor in any emergency situation for guidance on whether it is safe to be driven to hospital or wait for the EMS to get to you for life support and oxygen etc as would be needed.
• Which EMS service will you call and what’s the telephone number if emergency help is required all of a sudden (e.g I called Netcare’s 082 911) and they usually ask for another two numbers in case you get cut off.
• Gather information or find out about a WhatsApp group or those community contacts for details if you might need quick emergency oxygen until EMS arrives (have cell no.s) or can sustain yourself for an hour or so or more maybe until you can get to medical attention or the hospital.
• Make sure your doctor knows you are being or have been admitted if the case (have your docs cell no on hand).
• If your symptoms or Covid illness was mild or slightly worse, as soon as you have recovered , have a chest X-Ray done and a Pulmonologist specialist’s opinion to make sure you are all clear 100% in the chest with no after effects, infection, lung function damage etc.