Amid the uncertainty swirling around the coronavirus pandemic stands one indisputable fact: The highest rate of fatalities is among older people, particularly those with underlying medical conditions.
There is no evidence yet that older people are significantly more likely to acquire the coronavirus than younger people. But medical experts say that if people over 60 are infected, they are more likely to have severe, life-threatening disease, even if their general health is good. Older people with underlying medical conditions are at particularly high risk. Experts attribute some of the risk to a weakening of the immune system with age.
Though the people of 60 years of age or above make up only 10 per cent of coronavirus patients in Bangladesh, they account for 50 per cent of deaths from the virus.
Considering the situation, elderly people should remain alert and maintain social distancing even from their family members. Their exposure to people should be reduced as much as possible to avoid the infection of the virus.
Inadequate intensive care facilities across
the country remain a major concern in
treating elderly Covid-19 patients
However, there has been concern over treatment facilities for elderly Covid-19 patients in the country as most of the people who died from the virus were aged between 60 and 75.
Experts are of the opinion that inadequate intensive care facilities across the country remain a major concern in treating elderly Covid-19 patients who are deemed most vulnerable to the deadly virus.
Elderly people with pre-existing health conditions such as diabetics and hypertension are very vulnerable to coronavirus infection. If they get infected, a large portion of them will need intensive care and ventilation.
But there is a huge gap between demand and supply in terms of intensive care facilities. ICU management in the country is very poor.
ICUs in private hospital are not up to the mark for a lack of necessary equipment and skilled manpower. Therefore, the government should take immediate measures to increase intensive care facilities across the country, and set up specialised hospitals with adequate beds to treat coronavirus patients.
