Even Mild Covid Infection Can Cause Brain Shrinkage: Oxford-Led Study
As Schools Are Set To Reopen, Here’s How You Can Keep Your Children Safe From COVID
Understanding Immunity: Natural Infection VS Vaccine Derived Immunity
India May See Fourth COVID Wave From June, Peak In August: Study
Omicron Found In 80% Of Samples Taken From Patients Who Died Of COVID-19 In Delhi
This 36-Year-Old Is India’s First Female Disabled Stand-Up Comedian Who Uses Humour To Shatter Notions On Disability
One Little Finger, A Step Towards Integrating Persons With Disabilities Into Mainstream Cinema
An Author, Award-Winning Actor, RJ Who Didn’t Let His Disability Come In The Way Of His Achievements
Enabling The Disabled: This Mother-Daughter Duo Changed The Way World Looks At People With Disabilities
National Girl Child Day 2022: Empower, Educate, Protect And Celebrate Your Daughter
Banega Swasth India 12-Hour Telethon
Banega Swasth India Hindi Special
About Banega Swachh India Campaign Season 4: Take The #Mere10Guz Challenge
Swades Foundation’s Focus Is On Empowering Rural India
How Mahindra & Mahindra Group Is Making India ‘Swachh’
To Make India ‘Swachh,’ Bharti Foundation Donated Rs. 100 Crore
About Banega Swachh India Campaign Season 4: Take The #Mere10Guz Challenge
Paathshala School: We Must Treat Our Waste Ourselves
Meet The Real Swachh Warriors – Manual Scavengers
From A Ragpicker To The Helm Of A Cleaning Cooperative With Rs 1 Crore Turnover
Madan Nath Made His Village In Pushkar Open Defecation Free
Tera Mera Beach: Goa Gears Up For A 150-Day Cleanliness Campaign To Revamp Its Beaches
International Coastal Cleanup Day: More Than 3,000 People Unite To Remove Around 2.54 Lakh Kilograms Of Plastic And Garbage From Versova
Raipur Welcomes You With Swachhta: 80 Citizens Dedicate 200 Hours To Cleanup City’s Entrance
Yogi Adityanath Picks Up Broom After UP City Ranked Last In Swachh Survekshan 2017
About Banega Swachh India Campaign Season 4: Take The #Mere10Guz Challenge
A Comprehensive Waste Management Model Needed To Cut Down Plastic Generation: Dia Mirza
Bengaluru’s ‘Ugly Indians’ Who Beautify Dirty Spaces, Here’s How They Paid Tribute To Mahatma Gandhi On Rashtriya Swachhta Diwas
Ragpickers Are The Real Hero Of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan: Amitabh Bachchan
#Mere10Guz: Anupam Kher Shows How Keeping 10 Yards Clean Will Make India Swachh
Cleanathon 2017: The Boy From Sherwood College Does It Again, Impresses Amitabh Bachchan With His Swachhta Poem
This Group Of Ingenious Farmers In Punjab Have Not Burned Their Farm Waste Since Ten Years
Hyderabad’s Arya School Awarded Swachh Vidyalaya Award For Improving Sanitation And Hygiene
The Ugly Indian: A Bengaluru Group That Is Determined To Beautify Urban Spaces
We Need A Dignified Name For Manual Scavengers, Says Amitabh Bachchan
People’s Movement Became A Women’s Movement: Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Lauds Swachh Bharat Abhiyan
Excerpt From Nutrition India Programme Report: Every Rs. 1 Invested In The Programme Delivers Rs. 36.90 Of Social Value
Nutrition India Programme: The Economic Advantages Of Investing In Country’s Healthcare
How Community Nutrition Workers Are Transforming Lives In Maharashtra’s Amravati and Nandurbar Districts By Putting An End To Malnutrition
Top Highlights: Nutrition India Programme Annual Report 2019
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal On How Delhi Battled Dengue And Air Pollution
Here’s all you need to know about oxygen concentrators, being used for COVID patients who don’t have critically low saturation levels. Experts explain some key points – how does it help, who needs it, when do you need it, which one should you buy
New Delhi: Oxygen concentrators – something which is on everybody’s mind right now as India gasp for the basic necessity in this deadly second wave of coronavirus. At a time like this, when India fresh COVID-19 cases is increasing on a daily basis and as more and more patients continue to lose their precious lives amid shortage of oxygen, NDTV speaks with experts to explain everything you need to know about oxygen concentrators. How does oxygen concentrators really help, who needs it, when do you need it and which one should you buy, here’s a quick explainer:
In layman terms, an oxygen concentrator is something which basically makes oxygen on its own, unlike the medically sourced oxygen in hospitals via industrial units in the form of cylinders. So, no refilling is required and it can also be moveD around easily. An oxygen concentrator takes the oxygen from the room or nearby surroundings, purifies it and produces the oxygen for the patient or person in need.
According to experts and doctors, there are certain things one needS to keep in mind while procuring the oxygen concentrators at home. Experts suggest:
– If one is using the oxygen concentrator for long hours, ensure that the room is well ventilated and there is constant flow of fresh air. Therefore doors and windows need to open every now and then
– If a COVID patient is seeing extreme fluctuations in the oxygen levels on the oximeter and it goes below 94, then a lot of these oxygen concentrators will also not help, one will need to seek immediate medical help followed by hospitalisation
– It is recommend that one can use the oxygen concentrator device at home while waitING to arrange the bed at hospitals or oxygen cylinders along with proning. Proning is a medically accepted position to improve breathing comfort and oxygenation. A detailed guidelines have been released by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Also Read: As COVID Cases In India Sets World Record, Centre Recommends “Proning”. Here’s All You Need To Know
– Experts also recommend that if the patient do side-ways of proning, with an oxygen concentrator connected, is when one get maximum output at the crucial hour from a machine like oxygen concentrators
Also Read: Proning Do’s And Don’ts, What Experts Have To Say
– Oxygen concentrators can only aid a moderate COVID patient, whose oxygen concentration levels falls between 90 to 94. Below 90, one definitely needs hospital care
– It can be used for severe patients as well but only to bridge the time before one actually reaches hospital from home
Also Read: Coronavirus Explained: How COVID-19 Is Affecting Heart Even After The Recovery
Explaining some of crucial things that one should know, Dr Boronali Dutta, Director Medanta – The Medicity said,
We have been using oxygen concentrators from really long time for treating our patients, however this is the first time, when everybody is needing this as everyone is susceptible to COVID19 disease. It is important to point out that oxygen concentrators has its limited role in home settings and one should not forget that. One should be really particular of seeking hospitalisation when it is really needed and not rely on these devices at home. Along with that, the signs are also very important – 90 per cent or above oxygen is good for the patients, but if it falls below 90 per cent then hospitalisation is important. Because of the dire situation of hospital beds, oxygen concentrators are being used by everyone but it is equally important for the patient to be in touch with medical teams for his/her overall treatment so that they can guide them ahead.
Talking about if there are any side-effects of using oxygen concentration and other recommendations, Dr Dutta added,
Hydration is very important, make sure the patient who is using the machine is well hydrated. Secondly, ventilation is another important key.
Also Read: Coronavirus Outbreak Explained: Do All COVID-19 Patients Need CT Scans?
There are two kinds of oxygen concentrators available in market, one is Portable Unit and second one is Home Unit.
Portable Units, as the name suggest does not need any electricity source and can be carried around. It gives pulse flow of oxygen, which is mostly used for chronic but stable lung diseases, meaning it has a very limited role to play when it comes to treating COVID patients.
Whereas, Home Units are the device that needs a plug point. It gives continuous oxygen flow, which is absolutely essential for COVID cases.
According to experts, home units is usually a preferred choice when dealing with COVID19.
– Check OPI (oxygen purity indicator): While buying an oxygen concentrator, it is important to check its OPI, meaning the oxygen purity indicator, it SHOWS the purity of the oxygen that the concentrator is letting out. Experts say it should not be below 87 per cent.
– Check capacity of oxygen concentrator: There are options available from 1 LPM to 10 LPM (Litres per minute), which one should you buy should be strictly on the advice of your doctor. Generally the advise experts give is that for a small family with no senior citizens, 5L at 90 per cent oxygen concentration is a good choice. But if you have two or more senior citizens in the family, it is advised to go for 10L one with 90 per cent oxygen concentration as it can support two patients when the need arises.
Explaining how can one make sure that the right oxygen concentrator and stay away from the fake ones, Sunil Khurana, CEO, BPL Medical and Technologies said,
Difficult to say which one is fake or which one is not at this juncture. But there are few things one can do – first, buy from popular brands and known brands. Secondly, buy it from the actual sites of those brand – that’s the most ideal way in the given scenarios.
Prashant Sharma, Acer Biomedical added,
One should watch out of OPI. Make sure with higher flow the purity of oxygen is not coming down. The basic math is if you are buying an oxygen concentrator for 5L, it should deliver the oxygen purity of 90 per cent or more than 87 per cent at max.
Mr Sharma also said that for more than 90 to 95 per cent of cases, 5L concentrator is good enough. He added,
However, if we are looking at severe cases of COVID, where we sometimes need 9L or 10L oxygen, in those certain conditions you need to admit the patient to the hospital. Buying a higher litre of oxygen concentrator won’t help.
Also Read: COVID-19 Crisis: ‘Oxygen Langar’ At This Ghaziabad Gurdwara Has Helped Save Lives
Ideally in this extraordinary situation everyone should have an oxygen concentrator, there should be no boundaries because the virus is just infecting everyone and anyone, all are alike, whether it is a id ?or an adult. But having said that, we also need to keep in mind we cannot just unnecessarily hoard on things and create a shortage in market since we have limited supply. So, in that case if you are not very susceptible to COVID, if you don’t have elderly people or people with comorbodities at home, it can be avoided. Important thing is to know we cannot and cannot hoard on these things. It is definitely not needed by everyone.
Yes, oxygen concentrators can be used by everyone, even children. Dr Dutta said,
Usually, we have seen that COVID impacts children very mildly. So, the oxygen concentrator is not really needed for them. But we need to know that if children develop COVID, we need to hospitalise them, especially in current wave, when it is also seen that it has effect on younger generation as well.
Talking about the maintenance bit, Sunil Khurana added,
We need to change the filter of the machine in two weeks. We can simply put it under fresh water and rinse it. Most important part is that after few months when the purity comes down of your product, we need to get a candle shape thing inserted in the product changed or checked. It is basically a chemical, which is stored in the device that sterilises the filter just like our ROs at home. So, once we see that the purity of oxygen is coming down, it is not that our product is damage, but just one part. We need to change that.
According to the data by Health Ministry, in the last 24 hours, India added 3.43 lakh fresh COVID-19 cases today. The death count has touched 2,62,317 lakh with 4,000 people dying of the infection. India currently has 37.04 lakh active cases and they account for 15.65 per cent of the country’s total infections . Karnataka, Maharashtra, Kerala, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana cumulatively account for 79.67 per cent of the total active cases.
NDTV – Dettol Banega Swasth India campaign is an extension of the five-year-old Banega Swachh India initiative helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. It aims to spread awareness about critical health issues facing the country. In wake of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign highlights the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children to prevent maternal and child mortality, fight malnutrition, stunting, wasting, anaemia and disease prevention through vaccines. Importance of programmes like Public Distribution System (PDS), Mid-day Meal Scheme, POSHAN Abhiyan and the role of Aganwadis and ASHA workers are also covered. Only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and become a Swasth or healthy India. The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene.
India Fights COVID: Frequently Asked Questions About COVID-19 Vaccination Answered
Coronavirus Explained: How COVID-19 Is Affecting Heart Even After The Recovery
Even Mild Covid Infection Can Cause Brain Shrinkage: Oxford-Led Study
Understanding Immunity: Natural Infection VS Vaccine Derived Immunity
India May See Fourth COVID Wave From June, Peak In August: Study
Omicron Found In 80% Of Samples Taken From Patients Who Died Of COVID-19 In Delhi
Over 1.9 Million Indian Kids Lost Parent Or Caregiver To COVID-19: Lancet Study
India Is Witnessing The Tail Of Third COVID Wave, Will Gradually Move Towards Endemic: AIIMS Director
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
6 + = thirteen
Ekal Nari Shakti Sangathan, a network of single women in rural areas, is shouldering the responsibility of combating gender discrimination...
With an all-women led newsroom, the digital outlet Khabar Lahariya is producing hyper-local reporting that disrupts the narrative on who...
Experts say that having an accessible environment is a right of persons with disabilities that allow them to live a...
Experts say a public budget is expected to be inclusive of all people with their diversity, including persons with disabilities,...
Washington: COVID-19 is associated with an increased risk of mental health disorders, including anxiety, depression, substance use, and sleep disorders,...
Stress faced by people with HIV can cause psychological problems, writes mental health expert Richa Vashista
Experts decode workplace stress and ways to deal with it
World Mental Health Day 2021: Understanding various aspects of mental health and ways to address them
World Mental Health Day is marked on October 10 with the overall objective to raise awareness about mental health issues...
PM Modi said he had encouraged sustainable lifestyle at the COP 26 summit in Glasgow last year along with the...
With an aim to celebrate beautiful varied forms of wild flare and fauna and raise awareness to conserve them, World...
"In India, rice production can decrease from 10 per cent to 30 per cent, whereas maize production can decrease from...
Wildfires are becoming more intense and more frequent, ravaging communities and ecosystems in their path, says UNEP in its report
This website follows the DNPA Code of Ethics © Copyright NDTV Convergence Limited 2022. All rights reserved.