In response to the nationwide spike in COVID-19 cases over the past week, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has released updated COVID-19 recommendations.

In accordance with the updated COVID-19 recommendations, maintain physical distance, indoor mask use, hand hygiene, and symptomatic management. Also, observe the temperature and the oxygen saturation of the affected patients. Additionally, the recommendations state to ″consider Remdesivir for up to 5 days (200 mg IV on day 1 followed by 100 mg IV OD for the next 4 days)″ in cases with moderate or severe illnesses with a high risk of advancement.

The guidelines stated that until there is a clinical suspicion of bacterial illness, antibiotics should not be used. It is necessary to consider the probability of COVID-19 and other endemic illnesses coinfecting. In mild illnesses, systemic corticosteroids are not recommended.

On Thursday, the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry wrote to the state governments of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka, urging them to implement a five-pronged strategy of testing, tracking, treating, and vaccinations. At present, a total of 2,082 cases were recorded in the week ending March 8, 2023, and 3,264 cases were reported in the week ending March 15.

Some states are reporting a higher number of cases, suggesting a possible localized spread of the infection. According to the Union Health Ministry, it is necessary to use a risk assessment-based strategy to prevent and contain the infection without losing the progress already made in the fight against the pandemic.

(Source: https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/health/no-antibiotics-plasma-therapy-to-treat-covid-says-health-ministry-task-force-in-revised-guidelines/article66639603.ece )