COVID-19 spreads in communities, experts urge to seize the golden treatment period within 5 days

Experts remind that COVID-19 antiviral drug treatment should grasp the golden treatment period within 5 days of the onset of symptoms. The earlier you receive evaluation, the better it will be to reduce the risk of severe illness.

[Reporter Hou Jiayu/Taipei Report] The COVID-19 epidemic is still spreading in the community. The latest data from the Department of Disease Control and Prevention shows that COVID-19 accounts for 32.4% of the detection rate of respiratory pathogens in the past four weeks, and about 1 in 3 patients with respiratory symptoms is infected. Infection experts remind that it is difficult to "guess" the cause of the disease based solely on symptoms such as cough, sore throat, fever, etc. This is especially true for the elderly, pregnant women and patients with chronic diseases and other high-risk groups for serious illness. They should not wait until symptoms worsen before seeking medical treatment. They should seize the golden treatment period within 5 days of the onset of symptoms and implement "screen rather than guess and seek medical treatment without waiting."

Zhang Fengyi, chairman of the Taiwan Infectious Diseases Society, pointed out that being infected with the new coronavirus does not mean that the subsequent illness will be mild or the risk of severe disease will be reduced. According to research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the risk of all-cause death for people infected again may increase by four times. He reminded that if high-risk patients are diagnosed, antiviral drugs should be used as early as possible, and treatment opportunities must be grasped within 5 days of symptom onset to reduce the risk of hospitalization and severe illness. In addition to the elderly and those with chronic diseases, people with weak immune functions such as cardiovascular disease, lung disease, poorly controlled diabetes, poor kidney function, excessive obesity, immunosuppressant users, and blood tumors are also groups that need special attention.

Chen Honglin, chairman of the Taiwan Grassroots Diabetes Association, said that COVID-19 infection may cause symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, fatigue, myalgia, headache, shortness of breath and diarrhea, which are quite similar to influenza or other respiratory infections, and it is difficult to judge based on symptoms alone. The biggest clinical concern is that people treat COVID-19 as a common cold, take over-the-counter medicines and observe at home, and do not seek medical treatment until they have difficulty breathing. In particular, patients with chronic diseases are more likely to miss treatment opportunities.

He called on high-risk groups to undergo rapid screening and go to the nearest grassroots clinic for professional evaluation by doctors after developing suspected symptoms. If the first rapid screening test is negative but symptoms still persist, they can be tested again after 48 hours to avoid declaring "not COVID-19" after just one negative result.

Li Zhihuang, secretary-general of the Taiwan Emergency Medicine Association, pointed out that according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s 113 emergency medical statistics, about 1 in every 5 emergency room visits was due to respiratory diseases. When the COVID-19 epidemic heats up rapidly in a short period of time, it will inevitably increase the pressure on emergency room waiting, bed waiting, and overall medical capacity. Therefore, hierarchical medical care should be implemented so that patients with mild symptoms can receive appropriate assessment and treatment at the grassroots level, leaving emergency resources for truly acute and severe patients.

However, Li Zhihuang reminded that if there are warning symptoms such as wheezing, chest tightness, blue skin, inability to eat, reduced urine output, rapid heartbeat up to 100 beats/min, or systolic blood pressure below 90mmHg, you should no longer observe and go to the emergency room for medical treatment as soon as possible.

For caregivers who have elders or patients with chronic diseases at home, Chen Yijun, chairman of the Taiwan Infection Control Society, suggests that rapid screening reagents can be prepared at home to assist in screening when the elders develop suspected symptoms to avoid delays due to limited mobility or difficulty in seeking medical treatment. Group places such as day care centers and long-term care institutions should also make good use of in-home medical care and hierarchical medical resources to provide on-site or nearby screening, assessment and treatment for high-risk groups, and implement "early screening, early diagnosis, and early treatment."