Assam govt allows home-cooked food for COVID-19 patients

Health & Family Welfare Department, Government of Assam has decided that home cooked food will henceforth be allowed to be provided to COVID-19 patients admitted in COVID Care Centres/ hospitals. However, such food can be provided only after prior permission of COVID Care Centre Hospital in charge and as per his guidance. Only disposable utensils will be allowed for providing such food.

Earlier, state Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma discussed Guwahati's critical condition. On the issue of mildly symptomatic undergoing home quarantine, HBS said, “In Guwahati, most cases are from areas like Pandu that share common toilets. 99% per cent chance to spread in those situations. If the condition deteriorates we don’t have so many stuff to take care of them individually as home isolation may lead to rising deaths. Therefore we have given one relaxation, home-cooked food can be given to the patients”.

The govt has also initiated backup plans if things go out of control. “We are working towards 3000 beds and the creation of a plasma bank. Already a plasma separator has been installed in GMCH and the training is going on for plasma therapy”, said HBS.

Also read: Assam: Guwahati detects 238 more COVID-19 cases, state tally reaches 9434

Thus, it is too early to understand Guwahati’s situation and one can totally have a clear picture post the lockdown if the cases subside. However, the current situation as said by the Health Minister is indeed critical and the need to follow the measures is more than ever.

The Health Minister shared another achievement that the coronavirus strain has been separated like NIV PUNE by RMRC (ICMR), Dibrugarh. In this regard, further Assam specific studies to be conducted. RMRC Lahaul is the only 3rd lab in states to isolate the virus in tissue culture. The findings reveal that the strains circulating in Assam are L type and the difference from one strain is .83, which is very minimal. Thus, the strain variation shouldn’t be a problem for the vaccine. RMRC Lahaul has come to this conclusion. To extend this matter into the lower death rate in Assam as compared to other states, Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “if there’s no death, it should be congratulated to the doctors and medical fraternity”.

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