A medical worker examines a COVID-19 patient who is recovering at home. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The Việt Nam Young Physicians Association has just released three healthcare manuals for COVID-19 patients who are recovering at home.

The three manuals, "Caring for children with COVID-19 at home", "Safe use of medicines at home" (updated for the use of antiretroviral drug Molnupiravir) and "Maternal health care during the COVID-19 pandemic" are the result of research and experience taken for the treatment of 40 per cent of the COVID-19 patients who are isolating at home.

The association consulted with many leading experts in order to complete these documents in a short time.

Permanent Vice-Chairman and General Secretary of the Việt Nam Young Physicians Association Nguyễn Hữu Tú said that, after the Lunar New Year holiday, it was expected that the number of COVID-19 cases would increase rapidly across the country. 

The association quickly coordinated with specialised units to release the three handbooks to provide more tools for doctors and volunteers in supporting COVID-19 patients who are recovering at home, particularly children and pregnant women.

"It is expected that the handbooks will help people proactively take measures to prevent, avoid and care for at-risk groups, such as people with underlying medical conditions, pediatric patients and pregnant women, as well as provide knowledge about drug-use and therapeutic tools as these products become more accessible to the public," Tú said.

Facing the complicated developments of the COVID-19 pandemic and the spread of the Omicron strain, most provinces and cities across the country have applied measures for F0 patients to be treated at home, to reduce the strain on medical facilities. 

Along with support for grassroots medical forces and the circulation of antiretroviral drugs to treat COVID-19, the treatment of F0 patients at home has helped control the disease, limit the number of severe cases and deaths and demonstrate a safe and flexible adaptation to the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, many patients for various reasons do not seek direct support from medical staff. Instead, they have been seeking treatment information through unofficial sources on the internet, using prescriptions of unknown-origin or uncensored treatment.

Many unscrupulous people have taken advantage of the spread of fake information to sell untested healthcare products, greatly affecting the health of patients as well as increasing the scarcity of essential items for treatment.

Meanwhile, COVID-19 cases in children and pregnant women - a group of people in need of special care - has continued to rise, a great concern across the community.

Tú said that the Việt Nam Young Physicians Association would coordinate with the Youth Union at all levels to deploy a Network of Companion Doctors, to provide emergency support to patients treated at home.

The association planned to release the Post-COVID Health Care Manual next month and organise post-COVID health checks across the country, he said. — VNS