Govt issues new clinical guidance for management of adult Covid patients

New Delhi: Health and Family Welfare Ministry has issued new clinical guidance for the management of adult Covid-19 patients in the country. Under the new guidance, active tuberculosis has been added to the high-risk disease for Covid-19. People above the age of 60, people having cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, HIV, chronic lung, kidney, liver disease, cerebrovascular disease, and obesity are in the high-risk category.

The new clinical guidance states that anti-inflammatory or immunomodulatory therapy such as steroids can have a risk of



secondary infection such as invasive mucormycosis when used too early, at a higher dose, or for longer than required.

Health and Family Welfare Ministry has advised that remdesivir not be used in patients who are not on oxygen support or in-home settings. It said, remdesivir may be considered only in patients having moderate to severe disease of Covid-19 requiring supplemental oxygen. The guidance further states that Tocilizumab may be considered when rapidly progressing Covid-19 requires oxygen supplementation.