Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in June last week decided to distribute pulse oximeters to COVID-19 patients without symptoms and those with mild symptoms who are in home isolation. Around three weeks later, Mr. Kejriwal claimed in a tweet that they had helped bring down deaths of such patients, calling the device a ‘suraksha kavach’ (protective shield). It is better to keep the equipment at home to record the oxygen levels in blood, the falling of which is leading to unexpected death of asymptomatic COVID-19 patients, a section of doctors says. “Pulse oximeters will help keep track of the oxygen levels in blood. The device records the pulse rate and the oxygen saturation of haemoglobin in arterial blood.

Source: The Hindu July 22, 2020 18:06 UTC