INSIGHTS INTO CORONA/CORONAVIRUS DISEASE 2019 PANDEMIC – OPINION VERSUS EVIDENCE

Abstract

The pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) struck the globe in December 2019, killing lakhs of people and it is continuing in many countries to create havoc. There are lakhs of publications creating evidence about the management of the disease. After seeing thousands of cases, we formed opinions in each field of management and these findings may look more logical. We accept that our opinions differ subtly from the evidence. Regarding the transmission of the disease, it is spread from person to person through inhaled aerosols. If this is going to be 100% true, then the need for personal protective equipment covering the legs seems illogical. Povidone-iodine is antiviral and spreading the same as an ointment inside the nose must be effective to decrease viral load. The other antivirals with questionable efficiency like remdesivir are being used frequently, especially in the pulmonary phase. There are no clear-cut guidelines for primary contacts. Any protective drug intake could have decreased the transmission. It’s a simple logic that the act of sneezing will decrease the viral load. The practice of inhaling turmeric smoke to induce sneezing in the outdoor could have decreased the viral load. We opine that a lymphopenia of <15% can predict a worse outcome in the next 2 days. A computerized computed tomography scan of the chest is to be taken 7 days after the onset of symptoms as the disease usually enters the pulmonary phase only then. The date of onset of symptoms rather than the positive testing date should be considered for timeline management of the case. The undue tachycardia in the 1st week and desaturation below 92% in the 2nd week are the warning signs. The steroids are to be usually prescribed after the 5–6 days. The roles of psychiatric counseling and nutrition were largely underplayed.