Vytautas Kasiulevičius: 7 Notes on COVID-19 in Lithuania



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The 7 comments were named by the professor on Facebook.

one. If you start coughing and have a fever, headaches, and body aches, it’s worth knowing your oxygen saturation. This requires the purchase of a pulse oximeter for a few or several tens of euros. You can teach all your loved ones to use it. Once you have a pulse oximeter, measure the oxygen saturation of your blood. Normal SpO2 ranges from 96 to 100 percent. If, after measuring 3 times at rest, the pulse oximeter shows that your oxygen saturation or saturation (SpO2) has dropped below 92 or 90 percent (this is still being discussed among scientists), contact your doctor immediately, as there is a high probability of developing viral pneumonia. This inflammation usually begins a few days after the onset of the disease.

two. COVID-19 infection is confirmed by a nasopharyngeal PCR test, but a rapid test for SARS-CoV-2 antigen (not antibodies!) Can also confirm the diagnosis if a positive result is obtained. Just keep in mind that a negative antigen test doesn’t mean the disease isn’t there yet, so a nasopharynx PCR test is still necessary.

3. If you do get sick, your loved ones you live with are not necessarily infected, so protect them as much as possible. The lower the dose of the virus, the easier it will be. Sleep in separate rooms, eat from separate dishes, disinfect common areas (bathroom, toilet) every 2 hours, communicate only with a mask in the same room. The mask reduces the amount of virus that enters the body.

If you do get sick, your loved ones you live with are not necessarily infected, so protect them as much as possible.

Four. The vast majority of people experience COVID-19 like the common flu. Although it is difficult to compare something here, I want to tell you again about the Czech Republic and Argentina. The Czech Republic, with a population of almost eleven million, is experiencing one of the largest virus attacks in the world. Today is a black day, with 106 people dying in the country every day from COVID-19. This is a daily record, but if we try to think calmly, we will see that of 113 thousand active cases of disease or illness in real time, currently “only” more than 3 thousand are treated in the hospital. Although this is only the beginning of the second wave, this number does not exceed 5 percent of all patients.

After all, in Italy and Spain, at least a third of patients were admitted to hospitals during the first wave. Of the 3,000 patients treated in the intensive care units of Czech hospitals, currently 634 are patients. There will be many deaths between them. But 28,000 Czechs have already recovered. As painful as it is, these morbidity rates remain a burden for the Czech healthcare system if many doctors do not become ill in the future.

Photo from 123RF.com / Hospital coronavirus tests

Photo from 123RF.com / Hospital coronavirus tests

At the other end of the world, the number of deaths from this infection in Argentina, which was tortured by COVID-19 throughout the South American winter, still ranges between 100 and 500. The country has a population of 45 million. Divide by 16 and see perhaps the worst case scenario for a civilized country. On the other hand, the Argentine health system, although roaring, has resisted the pressure and the occupation of intensive care beds in the country has not exceeded 64 percent. In the capital, the occupancy rate for intensive care beds has approached 70%, but is now back at 64%. – The long wave of COVID gradually diminishes as the air warms up. At the same time, Argentina is a good lesson for everyone that strict restrictions are needed and are strictly enforced. This has been shown by Australia and New Zealand, who have just survived the winter.

Currently in Lithuania, according to SAM, 21 patients are treated in intensive care units, and we still have 299 free intensive care beds. If we ever get to the current figures in the Czech Republic (around 200 patients in intensive care), then according to SAM, there will still be 99 “free” beds. Another issue is the location, quality and medical staff of the beds that work there, as the highest value of intensive care beds in COVID-19 support hospitals, but it is already a topic of discussion of specialists here. In either case, the entire system is unlikely to fail.

5. Treatment. Dear friends, do not take dexamethasone without a doctor’s appointment. This drug rescues only when supplemental oxygen is administered and to protect the patient from the effects of a cytokine storm. The drug is as good as it is bad. If you don’t think so, just read the Summary of Product Features. Don’t rush into things that can lead to resuscitation. The disease itself is enough. Remdesivir is also not a miracle, it reduces the number of sick days, but it does not reduce deaths. The fact that there has been no reduction in remdesivir-related mortality to date is demonstrated by the largest Solidarity study in the world, in which Lithuania also participated. Unlike bacteria, there are not many drugs to kill viruses. Unlike bacterial infections, viral infections are much less likely to kill people. Control of chronic diseases is much more important during viral infections.

There are no cafes, bars, restaurants, sports clubs, and family vacations. Instead, choose a walk in the woods, a park, a run, be with close people.

6. The virus targets people with chronic illnesses. Check your blood pressure, cholesterol, and glucose levels. Buy an electronic blood pressure monitor and keep your blood pressure below 140/90 mmHg, your total cholesterol at 5 mmol / L and your bad cholesterol at 3 mmol / L, and your fasting glucose should not exceed 5.5 mmol / L. If you have angina, coronary heart disease, your doctor sets cholesterol limits. If you can do it by natural means and with the help of a lifestyle, you will. Keep moving and eating healthy. If this doesn’t work, you should take antihypertensive drugs, statins, and antidiabetic drugs as prescribed by your doctor. If you are taking blood thinners for any chronic illness, you should continue taking them as well. Remember that infection increases blood clotting and this treatment protects you. All of this is possible if you listen more often to what common sense, rather than emotion, whispers in a low voice.

7. Until the government and the opposition at all levels find out about the relationship on Sunday, after voting in the elections, it would be wise to stay home if possible. There are no cafes, bars, restaurants, sports clubs, and family vacations. Instead, choose a walk in the woods, a park, a run, be with close people. The English came up with rule 6 for this. No more than 6 people in meetings, no more than 6 people in the cafe. This is already having some effect. Also wear masks at work, in the store, and on public transportation. If you are an employee and you work multiple ways in the office, the building is poorly ventilated, ask employers to allow you to remotely alternately with your colleagues. If you work in construction, factories, it is necessary to wear masks, disinfect your hands regularly, keep a distance of 2 meters and put into practice the experience learned during the painful spring and summer lessons. The directors of UAB Intersurgical and others explained it in detail.

We cannot close the country, but we must not give up until we receive a safe and effective vaccine, “wrote V. Kasulevičius on Wednesday.



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