Book Review
A Journey of COVID in India
Author: Dr. Satish K Gupta
Pages: 222
Publisher: Arya Publishing Company, Sirmour
The last one and a half years passed like a journey into unknown and unchartered territory. Every day brought some news about the virus and vaccines. As a “curious physician”, Dr. Satish K Gupta, who is an MD in Medicines, a Visiting Senior Consultant Physician and Internist at Max Super Speciality Hospital, and a Clinical Assistant Professor at GS Medical College, Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut, started looking at the data, analysed the trends and started presenting it to the world as an information capsule on a daily basis, using social media. Encouraged by his peers, he compiled all the updates into a book – A Journey of COVID in India – for easy reading. The medical practitioner with this book, takes the readers through the whole medical journey of the pandemic.
The book is the first of its kind in India and describes various aspects of diagnosis and treatment of Covid-19 in a very simple language. From home management of mild cases to ICU treatment of severe cases is described in easy to understand format.
The book starts with analyzing how Covid-19 affects various organs of the human body like the Liver, GIT, Heart, Kidneys, Skin, etc. An in-depth description of the management of diabetes in Coivd using diet, exercise, and oral drugs is beneficial. Insulin treatment protocols are also outlined for the benefit of ICU patients
Different Investigations like IL-6, d-Dimer, CRP, and their interpretation in patients of Coivd are likely to be helpful to doctors as well as patients. The importance of pulse oximetry and Oxygen therapy has been given a separate chapter in the book.
Symptoms like loss of taste and smell in Covid are described early in the book and will be helpful to dispel the fears of the general public. The whole section on Mycormycosis diagnosis and treatment is updated and includes the latest treatment protocols.
Also, the book details various Covid Vaccines and their side effects. The section on Vaccines mainly describes precautions to be taken before vaccination in different medical conditions like diabetes, heart diseases, auto-immune disorders, cancer, multiple sclerosis, etc.
There is an exciting separate section on Covid vaccination of pregnant women and lactating mothers.
The book also unwinds the time wheel to refresh the memories of initial days of fear and uncertainty, slowly transforming into days of confidence and certainty in datewise format. In-depth analysis of how India did better than many developed Nations?
Chronological order of events from (from beginning to October 24, 2021) will help the readers. In addition, question answer format ( FAQ) adds value to this book.
While this book will help the general public further update their knowledge about Covid, it should be equally crucial for medical students, practicing doctors, specialists, and strategy makers globally.
What happens to Covid in the future is the concept elucidated by the author. How to prevent future pandemics and fight their aftermath are other value additions. Overall, it is worth reading.
– global bihari bureau
