While the spread of the new corona infection has not stopped, more than 5,000 people are being treated at home, including those who are adjusting for hospitalization, and two people died last week.
Under these circumstances, a man in Chiba prefecture who was undergoing medical treatment at home last month told NHK that he could not judge what kind of condition he was in and had to spend time without relieving his anxiety. I did.
From the public health center, "contact me if my symptoms suddenly worsen." In fear
The interviewee was a man in his 40s living in Chiba prefecture, who woke up on the morning of the 18th of last month with a severe headache and muscle aches that he had never experienced before.
When I measured the fever, it was about 38 degrees Celsius, and the next day the symptoms had worsened, so I searched for a medical institution and underwent a PCR test to find out the infection.
My wife and four children from elementary school to high school who live together were negative as a result of the test, and the man decided to take thorough measures to prevent infection of his family and lead a medical treatment at home.
The health center said, "If your symptoms suddenly worsen, please contact the health center or call an ambulance." The man said, "The instructions are vague and I have a fever. There is no specific thing to call an ambulance after how many hours, so I thought I had to make my own decision. "
The pulse oximeter, which checks the state of oxygen in the blood, was not rented from public health centers, but was purchased on the Internet by himself.
Since I started medical treatment at home, myalgia and headache have continued to fever in the 38 degree range, and I have gradually become suffocating.
The anxious man regularly checked the state of oxygen in the blood with a pulse oximeter, and at one point showed a value that required oxygen inhalation.
I heard that I was informed of this situation when I received a phone call from the health center once a day, but I could not judge what level my condition was, and my anxiety was not resolved. ..
The man said, "I have no knowledge, so I had to look it up online, and I couldn't tell if it was getting worse. Calling an ambulance is a high hurdle, and I can't judge myself when I'm not feeling well in the first place. I think it's pretty tough. I couldn't even talk to the doctor, and I was very scared every day. "
After that, the symptoms gradually recovered, and the medical treatment was completed on the 28th of last month, 10 days after the onset.
However, I still have malaise, chest pain, and difficulty breathing, so I want people to know the importance of infection prevention by sharing their experiences.
The man said, "It's a symptom that's incomparably more severe than the flu, and I didn't think I'd be sick for such a long time, so I strongly think that if you don't have to take it, you should definitely not take it. I think it is important not to get infected until it is found, so I want you to thoroughly prevent it. "
Lending pulse oximeters shortage due to rapid increase in medical treatment
Chiba Prefecture rents out pulse oximeters to check the state of oxygen in the blood so as not to overlook sudden changes in the condition of people who are infected with the new coronavirus and are treated at home, but the number is insufficient due to the rapid increase in the number of people receiving medical treatment. I am in a hurry to secure it.
Chiba Prefecture has secured 1000 pulse oximeters to check the state of oxygen in the blood in order to grasp sudden changes in the physical condition of people who are being treated at home, etc., and rents them according to the risk of age and chronic illness.
However, as of the 26th in the prefecture, the number of people receiving medical treatment at home, including during hospitalization adjustments, has increased rapidly to 5,116, which is about five times the number one month ago, and the number of pulse oximeters is insufficient, and Chiba Prefecture responds. I'm in a hurry.
The prefecture plans to secure another 2,000 units by the middle of next month, but as the work of the health center is tight, the shortage of personnel to deliver the equipment is also an issue, and some health centers distribute it in cooperation with local government officials. It means that it is.
In the prefecture, two people who had been found to be infected had died during home medical treatment, and neither pulse oximeter was rented out.
Yoshihiro Ohno, Chief of the Chiba Prefecture Health Promotion Support Division, said, "We will continue to use pulse oximeters to prevent deaths during home medical treatment as much as possible. Continue steady health observation and adjust hospitalization if symptoms worsen. I want to take appropriate measures such as doing it. "
The timing to pay particular attention during home medical treatment is "around one week after the onset"
When should a person undergoing medical treatment at home consult a health center and call an ambulance?
We asked Dr. Satoshi Kutsuna of the National Center for Global Health and Medicine.
The initial symptoms of the new corona is
▽ fever,
▽ cough,
▽ sore throat,
▽ joint pain,
▽ shortness of breath or difficulty in breathing,
it
▽ is that is very similar to the various influenza, such as smell and taste disorders.
On top of that, it is said that the timing to pay particular attention during home medical treatment is about one week after the onset, and the condition may worsen rapidly at this time.
Dr. Kutsuna said, "Some people have" dyspnea "about a week after the onset, and especially when they have a strong shortness of breath after moving, it is a characteristic when the symptoms worsen. I have chest and head pain and paralysis, so if you have any of these things, you should immediately consult a health center or call an ambulance. "
In addition, the pulse oximeter value is also one of the methods to confirm the medical condition. "Even if the oxygen value is low, there may be few subjective symptoms. The guideline for administering oxygen is 93% to 94. If it is about%, and it is about this value, I think it will be a guide to consult with a health center. "
On top of that, Dr. Kutsuna said, "Now, people who have to be hospitalized cannot be hospitalized. It is necessary to reduce the number of infected people in order to have a margin in the medical system, reduce the contact between people, and avoid three crowds. I want you to be more aware of this than ever before, "and demands that each and every one of us take thorough measures against infection.