Gandhinagar: A team of experts today visited Covid-19 hit two major cities of Gujarat – Surat and Ahmedabad and also called on State Chief Minister in Gandhinagar. The team later in its briefing admired the State government’s arrangements and actions against Covid-19. Presented below are two major issues that the team members discussed during the question/answer round with media persons:

On excessive use of Tocilizumab and Remdesivir

Tocilizumab injection can cause damage to patients also. Its improper use can cause bacterial and fungal infection in many patients. Tocilizumab is anti-inflammatory and can be used only in response to hyper damage to body in case of cytokine storm. If markers such as CRP and others are shooting up and patient is in serious situation only then Tocilizumab can be used. Percentage of patients in such need is very less. It should not be used in mild cases. In undeserving cases, such injection can in fact worsen the situation as normal inflammation will be affected. It’s a double age sward, it can damage very much too. The other remedies such as oxygen, steroid, anti clotting efforts are more important than Tocilizumab, as they can reduce mortality. We do video conferencing with 500 plus bed hospitals twice in a week in attempt to develop a common response. If Remdesivir and Tocilizumab are used only at suitable time and in suitable patient then there will not be shortage and no hoarding.

Remdesivir should be used only for those patients who have issue of critically low oxygen saturation, or formation of patches in lungs. Data available so far has not shown any mortaliti related benefit linked to Remdesivir. If Oxygen saturation and breathing is fine, there’s no need to give Remdesivir as it can damage lever and kidney.

On predictions of virus spread:

Virus spread is predictable using mathematics models but headwind we create to stop that spread, the measures don’t fit in any fix equation, and therefore the final number remains equation of both. Our numbers of Covid-19 cases is very low compared to other countries. World average of cases per million is four times more. We have prevented further spread of virus. Considering our population number, density etc, we have long journey ahead but each data has to be seen per million. Against 4000 and 8000 per million cases, we are at 500 or 625 per million. Eventually, the final number to consider would be case fatality which will be less than one per cent. We will achieve that and move forward. We have shown that it can be done without any major restrictions in place. In Delhi and Ahmedabad, it took three weeks to change the situation. Best practice of people is considered social vaccine. Virus will remain here but livelyhood will go on and life will be saved. Only we have capacity for discovery to production and stockpiling vaccine against Covid-19 for its supply to the world.
we will supply vaccines to the world, only our companies have that capacity

DeshGujarat