Doctor: Covid19 patients must wear masks at home

DR Jeanine St Bernard on Monday expressed concern that people who are covid19 positive and are quarantined at home, are not wearing their masks. At a Ministry of Health press conference on Monday, St Bernard said, "This is a no-no."

She warned that if such patients did not wear masks at home, there was a risk of them spreading the virus to other members of their family.

St Bernard also underscored the need for people to be truthful in giving physicians a clear picture of their symptoms.

She warned that if someone downplayed their symptoms, that could lead to fatal consequences. St Bernard also said fingertip pulse oximeters would soon be distributed to covid19 patients. The oximeter is an electronic device that clips onto a patient's finger to measure heart rate and oxygen saturation in his or her red blood cells.

The device is useful in assessing patients with lung disease. St Bernard said the device could be helpful in determining whether someone with covid19 symptoms and who has additional health conditions required hospitalisation.