First Aid Shortness of Breath in Covid-19 Patients

Jakarta, CNN Indonesia —

Increasing cases Covid-19 in Indonesia has an impact on the availability of beds in hospitals to the depletion of stocks oxygen in some areas.

In fact, oxygen is needed by Covid-19 patients. Oxygen is needed to treat symptoms of shortness of breath in Covid-19 patients with oxygen saturation below 95 percent.

Shortness of breath is also a symptom that is often found in Covid-19 patients. Shortness of breath that is not treated properly can lead to respiratory failure and even death.

Covid-19 patients who are self-isolating at home may suddenly develop shortness of breath. Indeed, Covid-19 patients who are short of breath must receive medical assistance and immediately receive oxygen therapy.

While waiting for the arrival of medical personnel, several things can be done by Covid-19 patients and their families as a form of first aid.

“Patients with shortness of breath must receive oxygen immediately, while waiting for the medical staff to do some things,” said Emergency Doctor Tri Maharani, on Monday. CNNIndonesia.com, Thursday (24/6).

1. Do not move around

Tri explained, firstly, Covid-19 patients who are short of breath are not allowed to mobilize. The patient must not move around and must remain in the room.

“The first aid for shortness of breath is that he doesn’t mobilize, he stays in his room and doesn’t do anything that makes him more breathless,” said Tri.

Meanwhile, the family or guardian contacted the medical center to ask for first aid for Covid-19 patients with shortness of breath. Health workers will usually come with an ambulance and oxygen.

“They [keluarga] must contact the puskesmas or other health care centers so that patients can be helped immediately,” said Tri.

Tri said, Covid-19 patients who need oxygen are those whose oxygen saturation is below 95 percent. Meanwhile, if the oxygen saturation is below 90, then a ventilator must be given.

2. Do not use canned oxygen

Tri emphasized that canned oxygen (oxycan) cannot treat the symptoms of shortness of breath in Covid-19 patients.

Covid-19 patients who are short of breath with saturation below 95 percent need to receive standard oxygen therapy commonly used in hospitals. Meanwhile, shortness of breath patients with oxygen saturation below 90 percent should be given maximal oxygen through a high flow nasal cannula (HFNC) containing 30-50 liters of oxygen.

“Meanwhile, oxycan only contains 1-2 liters. So it doesn’t help anything,” said Tri.