Docs say it’s not a wise thing to do
Hyderabad: Many people with Covid-19 symptoms do not get themselves tested, saying they are sure it is Covid. They isolate themselves and take generic medicines. Doctors say that this may not be a wise thing to do.
“I know it was Covid. My children and I had all the symptoms. We decided to not get tested as it would be a waste of money,” Parimila Medasani, a homemaker, informed The Observer. They have since recovered.
After Sonali Sudhakar and her family showed Covid-19 symptoms, they isolated and treated themselves.
“My cousin, a doctor, recommended we not get tested as we were showing Covid-19 symptoms. He guided us through the recovery process,” Sudhakar shared.
The cost of Covid-19 testing is one of the reasons for people not getting themselves tested. A test at home costs Rs 1,200; it is Rs 800 if a person goes to a private testing centre. Most people prefer testing at home.
Raghavendra Rao, a daily wage worker, said: “We are a family of six. I showed Covid-19 symptoms. After a while, all my family members did, but only I got tested. Why do I have to waste so much money when I am sure about it?”
The family took Covid-19 medicines and have recovered now.
Dr B.R. Lavanya, a physician, said it is not possible that all symptoms in a person indicate Covid-19; it could be some other health condition that should not be ignored. “People may mistake Covid symptoms for typhoid.”
She advises people to get the RT-PCR test done and, if possible, an entire body check-up to understand which parts are affected by Covid-19, so that proper treatment can be given.
Waiting for hours at overwhelmed testing centres leaves people exhausted.
Contrary to Dr Lavanya’s view, Dr Raju Kumar, another medical practitioner, said: “Covid has now become like any other disease, so sometimes depending on the patient’s financial background, I advise them to not get tested, and treat them for Covid.” But if he has a slight doubt that it may be some other medical condition, he advises them to get tested.
On an average, India is registering between 4 lakh and 5 lakh Covid cases a day. A large number of cases go unaccounted.
