• The severe acute respiratory syndromecoronavirus2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection became a global health threat to the community and severely affected livelihood.
• Most people with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) experience mild and moderate symptoms and approximately 10-15% of cases progress to severe illness, chronic SARS-CoV-2 infected patients may develop severe lung infections and acute respiratory distress syndrome, leading to hospitalization.
• Revised discharge protocol issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), the Government of India Revised Discharge Policy for COVID-19, May 2020, the length of hospital stay in standard allopathy care of mild cases was 10 days.
• The COVID-19 pandemic has put unprecedented pressure on the healthcare system. Hence, it is crucial to shorten the duration of hospital stay of the patients, which is possible through immunity boosting.
• The integrated treatment shortens the time taken to become negative for COVID-19 and thereby reducing the length of hospital stay. It’s possible by early detection, proper medication and balanced diet containing proper vitamins and minerals, keeping the body hydrated and having sufficient rest.

Basics of the Variants and the Infection

Sources:

1. WHO. COVID-19 transmission and protective measures. Available from: https://www.who.int/westernpacific/emergencies/covid-19/information/transmission-protective-measures. Accessed Jan 8, 2022.
2. A virus evolution expert explains Omicron and its 50 mutations. Available from: https://theprint.in/health/a-virus-evolution-expert-explains-omicron-and-its-50-mutations/775546/.Accessed Jan 8, 2022.
3. WHO. Classification of Omicron (B.1.1.529): SARS-CoV-2 Variant of Concern. Available from: https://www.who.int/news/item/26-11-2021-classification-of-omicron-(b.1.1.529)-sars-cov-2-variant-of-concern.Accessed Jan 8, 2022.

Risk Factors/High-risk Patients

• Patients with obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) or cardiovascular disease (CV) comorbidities display an imbalance in the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) system and upregulateddipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4) levels.
• Increase the risk for bronchoconstriction, lung inflammation, heart failure, endothelial dysfunction, atherosclerosis and immune dysregulation.
• Angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2) is a receptor for severe acute respiratory syndromecoronavirus2 (SARS-CoV-2) and DPP4 has been poposed as potential co-receptor.
• It is hypothesize that in patients with these comorbidities, where both ACE2 and sDPP4 are enhanced, infection with SARS-CoV-2 may result in increased COVID-19 severity with pulmonar complications such as acute lung injury, acute respiratory distress syndrome and CV complications such as heart failure, arrhythmia, myocarditis, endothelitis, edema and coagulopathy.

Source:

Valencia I, Peiró C, Lorenzo Ó, et al. DPP4 and ACE2 in diabetes and COVID-19: therapeutic targets for cardiovascular complications? Front Pharmacol. 2020;11:1161.

Wholesome Wellness and Vitamins

Source: Kumar P, Kumar M, Bedi O, et al. Role of vitamins and minerals as immunity boosters in COVID-19. Inflammopharmacol. 2021;29(4):1001-16.