Safety measures to keep pregnant women and infants safe during the lockdown

The world seems like a scary place right now. With nationwide lockdowns, lack of medical supplies and a constant increase in the number of people who have lost this battle, everyone is scared. Although each one of us is at risk of contracting coronavirus disease, pregnant women, elderly and infants are being considered as a vulnerable population right now. These are the people who need extra care and attention until the situation gets better.

This article talks about some measures to be taken to protect these most vulnerable – pregnant women, elderly and infants – from the coronavirus disease.

Being pregnant and delivering during a pandemic?

While giving birth might seem scary at any time, giving birth during a pandemic may feel especially challenging. Unlike other healthcare services, maternity care cannot be postponed. The topmost concern most pregnant women are facing right now is the risk of contracting the disease and passing it to the baby.

Since the virus is new, scientists are still learning about it. Facts like whether the virus can increase the risk of miscarriage, whether it can transmit from mother to child in the womb, whether it can cause in-fetal malformations are yet to be known. However, during pregnancy, women’s immune system is altered; especially during the third trimester. And thus, the need for taking special precautions arises.

  • Do not cancel your routine checkups. If you’re afraid of contracting the disease by going to the hospital, then opt for online or telephonic consultation.
  • If you have tests and scans planned, then do not delay them. Get them done as per the plan.
  • If you are having symptoms of COVID-19, then without any delay contact your healthcare professional and follow their guidance.
  • Be ready to experience some disruption in your maternal care. There can be staff shortages or changes in the plan by your doctor.
  • If you are considering home birth rather than a hospital right now, then think again. There may be a higher risk of transmission of the virus at home than at the hospital due to fewer restrictions on visitors.
  • Proper hygiene should be maintained at all times and follow the government’s advice about social distancing.

Worried about your baby getting infected?

Babies and young children have immature immune systems making them vulnerable to coronavirus. Although the symptoms of coronavirus in babies and children seem to be much milder, nothing definitive can be said yet, as the research is ongoing. Also, since there is no vaccine available to treat COVID -19 at the moment, it is extremely important to take extra precautions to prevent your baby from falling sick.

  • It is essential to keep your child at home at all times.
  • Limit people from visiting your home. Even if it is close family and friends, maintain a distance of at least 6 feet.
  • Teach your child the proper way to wash their hands and tell them to that regularly, especially after using the bathroom, blowing the nose, coughing or sneezing.
  • It can be hard to teach your children to follow hygiene rules consistently. To deal with this you might need to explain to your child the need to do it in the language they can understand. This will make them more willing to do what you ask of them.
  • Make sure your child is eating healthy and is having plenty of fluids.
  • If your child is showing symptoms of the illness, call your doctor immediately.
  • Disinfect your home thoroughly and regularly.
  • Make sure all their vaccines are up to date.
  • If you’re breastfeeding and have symptoms, wear a mask to protect your child. Also make sure you disinfect your hands when you handle your child and if possible, limit contact till you have recovered.

Swine Flu Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Swine flu is a viral fever caused by a virus called H1N1. It initially appears like a normal fever. Viruses of this fever originate from the body of pigs and spread rapidly from one person to another.

Causes of swine flu

swine flu is spread by the swine flu influenza virus which usually infects only pigs. It does not spread directly from animals to humans but it spreads from one person to another. The swine flu virus is more likely to spread if pork is not cooked properly. Apart from this, the disease is also spread through saliva and mucus of the mouth. The virus is also spread by sneezing, sputum in the throat, spitting and touching the infected area of germs with your hand and then touching the eye and nose with the same hand.

Symptoms of swine flu

The initial symptoms of swine flu are similar to regular fever. The main symptoms of swine flu are-

Cold

Fever

Cough

Sore throat

Runny or stuffy nose

Body ache

Fatigue

Diarrhea

Nausea and vomiting

Treatment of swine flu

In most cases of Swine flu, mediation is not necessary Initially, the victim should pay special attention to reduce the symptoms of swine flu and avoid spreading the H1N1 virus to another person. But when the infection of the virus is increased in the body, then one should immediately go to the doctor.

For the treatment of swine flu, it is advisable to take two antiviral drugs called oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and Zanamivir (Relenza). Because these drugs act as a deterrent to stop the swine flu virus from growing. These medicines are given to patients suffering from swine flu, who are more likely to spread the virus in the body. Apart from this, the body of people who are healthy can easily fight against swine flu infection. Swine flu can also be avoided by taking some other precautions.

The best way to prevent swine flu is to get vaccinated every year to prevent fever infection. Apart from this, there are some ways to avoid swine flu.

Ways to Avoid Swine Flu

Wash hands thoroughly with soap or hand wash before drinking.

Do not touch your eyes, mouth, and nose without cleaning hands.

Do not get out of the house if you are ill.

Avoid getting up in the air during swine flu season. Visit our test Details

Coronavirus Symptoms and Precautions

Coronavirus has spread very fast in the world including India, the virus has been identified in China. Coronavirus is part of the SARS virus family. This virus makes humans as well as animals its prey. It is an RNA virus, which means that it breaks into cells inside a body and uses them to regenerate itself. The coronavirus is spreading in Wuhan, China like never before.  Much information is not available about this virus. Experts believe that the coronavirus comes from a family of viruses that infect humans, cattle, pigs, chickens, dogs, cats and wild animals.

 According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the virus is linked to seafood and is thought to have originated from a seafood market in Wuhan China. Coronavirus belongs to the family of viruses and people are getting sick from it. The virus is also entering many animals including camels, cats, and bats. The WHO has also expressed apprehension that the virus can spread from one person to another.

 

Symptoms begin to appear at least 14 days after becoming infected with the virus. Coronavirus patients show the initial symptoms like cold, cough, sore throat, difficulty in breathing, fever. These symptoms then cause pneumonia and kidney damage.

 

Treatment of Corona Virus

 

There is no cure for the coronavirus at this time. Antibiotics do not fight viruses, so their use is futile. Although antiviral drugs can be useful, 

 

How does Corona Virus Spread

This disease can spread to people only through cough and sneeze, this means that this virus can be easily transmitted to anyone. Apart from this, it can also spread through close contact, kissing or sharing utensils through saliva. Because it infects the lungs, the droplets released from the mouth while coughing can also infect the person present.

Measures to avoid coronavirus:

Avoid Sea Food

Take care of cleanliness

Wash your hands with soap before eating

Keep your nose and mouth covered while taking caring of people who are suffering from cold and cough

Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces

Vitamins and minerals that strengthen the Brain

The brain of a human being is an organ with a complex structure that needs many types of nutrients to keep it healthy. These essential nutrients help in making the brain strong. These essential nutrients help our brain fight the problems of aging. So, we are going to tell you today about those 6 vitamins and minerals, about which you will definitely want to be vigilant-

 

1- Thiamine (B1)

According to a report, B group vitamins are considered very important for brain health. Thiamine has been considered essential for the brain and nervous system. According to research, thiamine deficiency can cause severe brain-related illnesses. It is being told that this problem is seen more in patients with alcoholism and AIDS.

 2- Folic acid (B9)

Folic is also known as folates. It is mainly made in our liver. But it is also found in certain foods such as green leafy vegetables and asparagus. When someone’s liver becomes damaged, folic acid is deficient in that person. According to research, folic acid is essential for the nutrition of amino acids, which helps in healing the nervous system. Folic acid is also very helpful in the development of children.

 3- ascorbic acid (vitamin C)

This vitamin is necessary for the brain to concentrate and concentrate more. Vitamin C is easily available from citrus fruits like oranges, seasonings, and limes. Vitamin C is a good source of antioxidants in the body, which relieves the pain caused by oxidants in the brain. The special thing about this vitamin is that it is not stored in the body, rather it has to be taken with the deli food.

 4- Calcium

Calcium comes first in the essential minerals in the body. It is considered to be the most important element for mental health. Calcium is the only element that sends information from the brain to all parts of the body. Excess calcium deficiency in the body can damage the brain. According to research, every human being should take 90 mg of calcium daily through their food.

 5- Magnesium

Magnesium is one such essential mineral, breaking down B-class vitamins to make the brain useable. That is, no vitamin can be effective without magnesium. Research has shown that the old mice, which had adequate amounts of magnesium, have better brains and last longer. Therefore, magnesium is very important to keep the mind healthy.

 6- Zinc

Zinc is found in significant amounts in some parts of our body, especially in the forehead of the head. Due to the lack of zinc, a person is prone to diseases like Alzheimer’s. Zinc is found in significant amounts in pumpkin seeds and beef. Zinc tablets are also available in the market which you can take with the advice of a doctor

Finding out if our body is deficient of vitamins and minerals is possible through simple blood test. The test are quite affordable and measures can be taken as per the results. To book online 

Important Blood Tests One Should Have

Our blood can tell us lots of things about our health. Depending on our age, gender, and any specific symptoms and any health conditions we might have, Our doctor will choose specific blood tests to help determine how best to care for us. Although two patients are not the same, there are several blood tests that are common and most important for everyone to get.

Complete blood count (CBC)

CBC is one of the important blood tests it is used to investigate overall health and a wide range of disorders. CBC gives Doctors and other healthcare experts an overview of things like how well your body is working,

Lipid panel

This test is used to determine the risk of heart disease, this test measures total cholesterol LDL(bad) Cholesterol, HDL ( good) Cholesterol and triglycerides. 12 hours fasting is required for Lipid  panel test

 

Blood glucose test

This test also needs fasting and measures the amount of sugar — in this case, glucose — that is stored in your body. It is used to determine how efficiently your body is managing sugar. This test helps your doctor determine if the patients have diabetes or not.

Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) test

 Thyroid problems are hard to diagnose A healthy thyroid is very good for metabolism.  there are no specific symptoms that can help to diagnose Thyroid, but you can start with TSH level. By measuring the level of TSH in your blood, your doctor can see whether the amount of this hormone your thyroid secretes is too high, too low, or just right. The level of TSH in our blood determines how fine our thyroid is functioning and whether your metabolism is working too fast or too slow, causing symptoms like mood swings and abnormal heart rhythms.