Telangana's New COVID Strategy: Treatment Without Testing

Hyderabad: Telangana declared on Friday that it is pursuing a ‘Treatment First' strategy to ensure that people who have contracted Covid-19  and do not experience moderate or severe symptoms or complications that would necessitate hospitalization.

With patients queuing in front of hospitals and seeking urgent care many hospitals are unable to deliver due to overcrowding. The health department also announced that individuals with early symptoms will be considered Covid-19 positive cases.

Over the last three days, the ‘treatment is more important than testing' method has resulted in the diagnosis of 19,099 people with Covid-like symptoms.

During the house-to-house fever survey, 19,099 people with Covid-like symptoms were identified, and tens of thousands of people were checked at Covid-19 outpatient clinics at primary, urban primary, and community health centres throughout the state, as well as at various government facilities.

Dr. G. Srinivasa Rao, Director of Health Services, said at a press conference on Friday that all of these people have been given medicine kits to begin their treatment right away. He said that as many as 20,955 teams were out in the field visiting 11,22,369 homes as part of the house-to-house survey to identify people with Covid symptoms.

“Those who have been identified as having symptoms were checked at the out-patient clinics and given medications. Our staff will continue to monitor their health. They will keep track of these people and if required, will make arrangements to shift any individual needing more attention to a hospital by ambulance,” Dr. Rao said.

According to him, the state government is the first in the country to take such steps to prevent the health of those who have contracted Covid from deteriorating and to relieve hospital overcrowding.

Dr. Rao also urged people not to pressurize healthcare workers who are participating in the surveys across the state for Covid drug kits as a precaution in case they contract the disease.

He urged people not to create an "artificial shortage" of the kits. “Only those who have symptoms must use the medicine kits. Do not insist on getting the kits. We have lakhs of them for distribution and anyone needing one will be provided with it,” he said.

 “Do not go out because you are taking medicines, one must remain isolated for two weeks. Once medicines are taken, the body needs rest, good nutrition, and fluid intake. Take care of yourselves at home and the government is there to provide any additional help as needed,” he said.