Doctor asks covid19 patients to be truthful

County medical officer of health (CMOH) for Caroni Dr Jeanine St Bernard appealed to covid19 positive patients who are in quarantine at home to be truthful when contacted by medical professionals.

St Bernard made the appeal during Monday’s virtual covid19 press conference.

She said it was critical that people say what their symptoms are because if they downplayed them it could lead to a dangerous situation.

“Please indicate honestly how you are feeling when the physician calls you,” she said.

St Bernard also said from this week covid19 positive patients at home will receive fingertip pulse oximeters.

The device monitors the level of oxygen in a patient’s blood and can be used to alert healthcare professionals when oxygen levels fall below safe levels, she said. She added that the safe oxygen level was 94 per cent.

Monitoring this allows for rapid intervention which is admission to a covid hospital, St Bernard added. The device also monitors one’s heart rate which if it goes above 110 beats per minute also allows for rapid intervention.

She also said there were reports of covid positive people and being managed at home who were not wearing masks.

She said all people in the households should wear masks as much as possible and stay away from the at-risk family member as much as possible.

St Bernard gave further tips for those in self-quarantine and self isolation such as washing clothes, sheets and towels as often as possible and cleaning frequently touched surfaces.

She added to prevent person to person spread one should not share towels, cutlery or glasses.