Kirron Kher Tests Positive For Covid-19; MoH Revises Guidelines

On Monday (March 20, 2023), MP and actor Kirron Kher shared that she had tested positive for Covid-19. The 70-year-old took to her Twitter account to share the news and asked everyone who came in contact with her to get checked for the virus.

Kirron Kher Tested Positive For Covid-19

I have tested positive for Covid. So anyone who has come in contact with me please get yourself tested.

— Kirron Kher (@KirronKherBJP) March 20, 2023

Kher’s tweet read, “I have tested positive for Covid. So anyone who has come in contact with me please get yourself tested.”

From her social media updates, it is clear that the actor has been meeting several people every day. With the rise in the number of cases, people need to be more careful and follow the revised guidelines issued by the centre.

Revised Covid-19 Guidelines Shared By The Ministry Of Health

COVID-19 National Task Force under Ministry of Health and Family Welfare releases revised clinical guidance for the management of adult COVID-19 patients pic.twitter.com/HvaLtE7nTh

— ANI (@ANI) March 19, 2023

On March 19, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare along with the AIIMS and Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) shared revised guidelines for the management of Covid-19 patients.

It bifurcated patients into three categories based on their contraction of the virus - Mild disease, Moderate disease and Severe disease.

Guidelines For Mild Disease

In case of mild contraction, a person would experience upper respiratory tract symptoms and fever without shortness of breath or hypoxia. They must opt for home isolation.

They must:

• Opt for symptomatic management, including hydration, antitussive and antipyretics.
• Follow social distancing, sanitise hands and put on masks even inside the house
• Stay connected with the physician
• Monitor oxygen saturation and temperature regularly

Guidelines For Moderate Disease

A person would be categorised under this if they have a respiratory rate greater or equal to 24 per minute. Their O2 is between 90% and 93%. The guidelines suggest that such patients must be admitted to a ward.

The treatment would include:

• Increasing the SpO2 level in the body to 94% and 96%.
• Awake pruning must be encouraged with sequential position changing every two hours
• Use non-rebreathing face masks

Guidelines For Severe Disease

A patient will fall under the severe category if their respiratory rate is greater or equal to 30 per minute and SpO2 levels are below 90%. In such a case, the person must be admitted to the HDU/ICU.

Their treatment will include:

• Use of NIV to increase the levels of O2
• Intubation for ventilatory management, if required
• Use of HFNC to increase O2 levels
• Use of vasopressors in case the clinical assessment indicates

Medication To Avoid

A few medicines that were considered elixirs in the first few waves have been warned against by the centre.

The guideline mentioned not using medicines during Covid-19. The list includes:

• Ivermectin
• Lopinavir-ritonavir
• Favipiravir
• Doxycycline
• Hydroxychloroquine
• Azithromycin
• Molnupiravir
• Neutralising monoclonal antibody
• Convalescent plasma

The guideline mentioned an entire list of what and how to monitor a patient’s condition in any case. It also enlisted therapies that could prove to be helpful in each case.

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Who Is At High Risk?

According to the centre’s guidelines, people who are at high risk for several diseases or mortality include:

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• Cardiovascular disease and CAD
• People above 60 years
• Patients with cerebrovascular disease
• Person suffering from diabetes mellitus and other immunocompromised states
• Obese people
• Chronic lung, kidney and liver disease patients
• Unvaccinated people
• Active tuberculosis patients