Oxygen concentrators during COVID-19: What we need to know
As India battled the 2nd wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the surge of new infections has resulted in an alarming increase in the number of active cases. The resultant stress on our public health infrastructure has led to a big spike in demand for oxygen concentrators. So, what precisely are oxygen concentrators, when would they be required, and how are they to be used? or not used? Here’s a quick lowdown on the same. To survive, we need a steady supply of oxygen, flowing from our lungs to various cells in the body. COVID-19 is a respiratory disease that affects our lungs and can cause the oxygen level to drop to dangerous levels. In such a situation, oxygen therapy would be necessary to enhance our oxygen levels to clinically acceptable levels and for medical treatment. Oxygen saturation, briefly known as SpO2, measures the oxygen level. This is a measure of the amount of oxygen-carrying hemoglobin in the blood. A healthy individual with normal lungs will have an arterial oxygen saturation of 95% – 100%. The WHO training manual on pulse oximetry states that if the oxygen saturation is 94% or lower, healthcare providers need to treat the patient quickly. A saturation of less than 90% is a clinical emergency. The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare’s latest clinical guidelines for adult COVID-19 patients state that hospital admission is necessary for oxygen concentration less than or equal to 93% on room air. Below 90% is severe and requires ICU admission. We should strive to replenish our oxygen levels in case of delays or inability to follow the clinical management protocol.What we need to know
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