Chyawanprash, yoga and gargling: Health ministry guidelines for COVID recovered

Hyderabad: The Union ministry of health and family welfare has recommended that patients who have recovered from COVID-19, particularly those who experienced acute illness from the coronavirus infection, make consuming a daily dose of the Ayurvedic preparation chyawanprash a part of their daily routine.

This, along with practising yoga, gargling, daily walks, are among the other recommendations made by the ministry in a protocol released on Sunday for post-COVID care to boost immunity.

The ministry said its recommendations are aimed towards an “integrated holistic approach” for managing patients who have recovered enough from COVID-19 for care at home.

“It is not meant to be used as preventive/curative therapy. The recovery period is likely to be longer for patients who suffered from a more severe form of the disease and those with pre-existing illness,” the ministry said.

Along with this approach, the ministry said recovered patients should follow the advice of their doctors on medications and lifestyle changes. They should have their first follow-up visit (physical/telephonic) within seven days upon recovery, and discharge if admitted to hospitals, “preferably at the hospital where he/she underwent treatment.”

Further follow-up visits could be to the nearest qualified allopathic or Ayush practitioner/medical facility of other systems of medicine.

The patients should look out for any recurrence of symptoms and seek medical advice if such symptoms surface.

India has about 35.5 lakh recovered patients. It was likely that Covid-19 patients who experience acute illness, may continue to report wide variety of signs and symptoms including fatigue, body ache, cough, sore throat, difficulty in breathing, etc.

As of now there is limited evidence of post-COVID-19 abnormalities and further research is required and is being actively pursued, the ministry said.