Thiruvananthapuram: Observing the worst phase of the COVID pandemic, the Kerala government has issued fresh guidelines to strengthen patient care in the state. As per the guidelines, fever clinics will be converted into COVID clinics in all hospitals. The health department also directed to arrange oxygen beds and 5 ventilators immediately at taluk hospitals.

Fever clinic converted into COVID clinic in all hospitals should follow COVID treatment protocol and referral protocol. These clinics must establish COVID OP for providing necessary consultation, lab services and medicines for COVID positive patients, reads the guideline.

As per the order, all government hospitals should focus on COVID cases till May 31. In case of emergency, non-COVID patients will also get treatment from these hospitals.

The government has also given directions to ensure oxygen availability to bedridden COVID patients.

“If bedridden patient is positive, oxygen concentrator may be arranged at home and provide home care as per the advisory. Provide other treatment support through palliative volunteers/RRT at panchayat, directs the guideline issued by the health department.

The government also appealed to the private hospitals to increase COVID oxygen and ICU beds to a minimum 50 percent capacity as well as to start COVID OP.

The health department also alerted the hospital authorities to make sure that the health care workers are using disposable gowns, gloves, N95 masks and face shields while treating the patients.

  covid