Conditions

COVID-19 Tests and diagnosis There are various types of tests available for detection of Covid-19: RT-PCR (Reverse Polymerase chain reaction) is the gold standard used for diagnosis of individuals. A nasal or throat swab is taken and put in a machine that amplifies and detects the virus. Antigen tests are used for quick diagnosis at home. As per the kit instruction, people can use the swab to first swipe their throat and then the nose. It detects the spike protein on the coronavirus.  It…

Viruses are constantly changing and mutating in their genetic makeup resulting in new strains or variants. The coronavirus too has mutated several times since the pandemic started. The variants may change the way the virus behaves. The variants are classified as alpha, beta, gamma, delta and omicron. Each variant can cause a wave as it spreads easily throughout the world. In 2021, the delta variant emerged and by the end of 2021, the omicron variant emerged. The phases of how the COVID…

COVID-19 is an infectious disease causes by a virus called Sars Cov-2. SARS-CoV-2 is a member of the Betacoronavirus genus, one of the genera of the Coronaviridae family of viruse from the Coronavirus family. This a zoonotic virus meaning it is transmitted from animals to humans; transmission now is mainly inter-human.

What is Covid-19 COVID-19 is a newly found virus first discovered in the Wuhan district of China. It went on to spread across the world and on March 11th, 2020 the World Health Organisation declared it a global pandemic. The virus affects the respiratory tract and is very contagious. It is one of the 7 types of coronavirus including MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) and SARS (Sudden Acute Respiratory Syndrome).

Dr. Manvir Bhatia, Senior Consultant in Neurology and Sleep medicine, says that the pandemic has severely affected the crucial sleep-wake rhythm of people impacting their mental and physical health, leading to chronic insomnia. She highlights the role of sleep in building immunity and recommends some tips for better sleep. We have been hearing and reading about an increase in the number of people suffering from disturbed sleep patterns and poor quality of sleep due to Covid-19. Have you seen a…

Parmeet Kaur Soni, Consultant, Clinical Psychologist, Mental Health Foundation, Kolkata, talks about how family members can support their children, when a family member or a close relative is diagnosed as Covid positive. We are increasingly hearing of children of all ages becoming increasingly anxious and even clingy when a family member is affected. We spoke to Parmeet Kaur Soni, a clinical psychologist on how families can navigate these difficult pandemic times.  The following steps…

Obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr. Chandan Dubey, addresses some of the common questions on endometriosis, its association with PCOD and Obesity and how it affects fertility. How common is Endometriosis? What factors increase a woman’s risk of getting endometriosis? Endometriosis affects 2-10 % women in the reproductive age group globally. Risk factors of Endometriosis may be: Pregnancy and childbirth after 30 years. First degree relatives with this condition. Structural abnormalities of…

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted lives and livelihoods and is causing a lot of stress and anxiety. Psychotherapist H'vovi Bhagwagar advises people on how they can learn to accept uncertainty and channel unproductive worrying into problem solving.  As humans, we find safety in predictability and certainty. We prefer having information about our family’s whereabouts, making a list before going shopping and knowing we have a stable job. The COVID-19 pandemic has made life uncertain and…

As more and more people get infected with the coronavirus and are asked to home isolate, it is often unclear as to how one should go about it and when to seek medical help. Dr Anita Kumar talks about home quarantine guidelines during the current Covid pandemic. While the guidelines are vastly the same for the country, the methodology of application may vary and hence the doctor’s advice needs to be tailored to your situation. What does home quarantine for a COVID patient entail? Who is eligible…