Hyderabad: Warning against overuse of medications to treat Covid-19, healthcare professionals have urged that a rational approach be adopted for treatment amid the Omicron variant driven third wave while Delta is still very much present.
A majority of the active cases in the state are of Omicron variant, but doctors continue to follow protocols used during the second wave which was driven by the more lethal Delta.
Doctors said that lack of clear guidelines from the central government on clinical management protocol for the two variants has left treatment to the discretion of individual healthcare professional.
“In Omicron cases that are mild and among young people, symptomatic medicine is all that is required. In many cases, even antibiotics may not be required. While anti-viral medicines remain the same for both variants, the cocktail therapy is considered only for those affected with Delta,” said Dr Sowmya Bondalapati, internal medicines, Continental Hospitals.
Post-recovery, some patients have found that their medications were now causing them fresh problems.
“After I recovered from Covid-19, I was put on a blood thinning medicine. Subsequently, when I suffered a small cut, the bleeding did not stop due to the medication,” said T Anand, a resident of Masab Tank.
In such cases, doctors have stressed on the need to conduct genome sequencing to prescribe drugs as per the variant.
