Health officials say they’re ready for a “second wave” of Covid-19

As countries around the world start to ease some of the restrictions put in place to stop the spread of Covid-19, the fear of a “second wave” persists. Now a report in Nation Thailand says healthcare officials in Thailand are using the lessons from the past fews months, in the treatment of Covid-19 patients, tracing and testing, and are prepared in the event of any resurgence.

Dr Narong Aphikulvanich from the Department of Medical Services says 114 hospitals around the country are on standby, with 2,263 beds between them, and an extra 500 available if needed.

Meanwhile, Dr Poj Intalaphaporn from Bangkok’s Rajvithi Hospital says medical staff there have learnt a lot from their treatment of 69 Covid-19 patients, some of whom showed severe symptoms, and some who were asymptomatic.

The chief of the Central Chest Institute of Thailand, Piamlarp Sangsayan, says lying face down on the bed helps those struggling with severe pneumonia as it’s believed the position increases the amount of oxygen circulating in the bloodstream.

“Patients with serious cases of pneumonia were also put on ventilators and treated with Favipiravir. In general, doctors noticed that pneumonia tended to be worse in the first two weeks, with patients stabilising during week 3.”

He added that antibiotics used to treat pneumonia have proved effective in easing respiratory symptoms.

SOURCE: Nation Thailand