Fluctuating SpO2, Asthma, Lung Disorder: Pollution Threatens to Knock Wind out of Covid Victims

Don’t venture out, use air purifiers, work from home, or else go away from Delhi-NCR: this is the advice doctors are giving to those who have suffered a bout of moderate to severe Covid-19 disease in the last two years. From fluctuating oxygen saturation to complications in the lungs, uncontrollable bouts of cough, asthma attacks, and even chances of lung failure – these patients are either suffering or are likely to suffer multiple health issues with worsening air quality. According to Dr Ravi Shekhar Jha, director of pulmonology at Fortis Escorts Hospital, Faridabad, “Patients who had Covid in past, if exposed to rising air pollution, can have various health effects depending on the severity of their past Covid infection.” Jha explained that those who have residual lung fibrosis and are exposed to air pollution have more chances of going into respiratory failure if they get any infection. According to Dr Animesh Arya, head of the department of pulmonology and respiratory medicine at Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute, Delhi, “The former patients of Covid-19 are experiencing complications of the lungs, including difficulty in breathing, shortness of breath, cough, and throat irritation.” In fact, Dr Chawla said that patients are not responding to usual medicine and are taking much longer to respond. “Air purifiers have a definite role,” Saxena said while adding that HEPA filters and non-ionising air purifiers in appropriate room sizes could be helpful in improving respiratory symptoms.