Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in June last week decided to distribute pulse oximeters to COVID-19 patients without symptoms and those with mild symptoms who are in home isolation. Around three weeks later, Mr. Kejriwal claimed in a tweet that they had helped bring down deaths of such patients, calling the device a ‘suraksha kavach’ (protective shield).
It is better to keep the equipment at home to record the oxygen levels in blood, the falling of which is leading to unexpected death of asymptomatic COVID-19 patients, a section of doctors says.
Watch | All you need to know about pulse oximeters
According to Health Department sources, falling of oxygen levels in blood cells and tissues below 94%, called hypoxia, is a major reason of death among the infected population in other parts of the country.
“Pulse oximeters will help keep track of the oxygen levels in blood. If asymptomatic people develop COVID-19 pneumonia conditions, they can be hospitalised in the early stage itself. This will help bring down future complications,” A.P. Vijayan, Kozhikode-based senior paediatrician, says.
The device has a probe, which consists of light emitting diodes and a light detector called photo-detector, along with a monitor and a display. The user’s pulse is detected using the probe. The device records the pulse rate and the oxygen saturation of haemoglobin in arterial blood.
Beats per minute
While pulse rate is recorded as beats per minute with 60 to 100 being the safe range, the reading of oxygen saturation levels is recorded as SpO2 and the normal range is between 95% and 100%. If the SpO2 is below this, the user needs to get medical help, Dr. Vijayan says.
The device is clipped into the user’s forefinger and it may take around 10 seconds to get the accurate reading, says the World Health Organization. Though the device is not widely available in medical shops, e-marketing platforms are selling it in the price range of ₹1,000 and above.
