Docs advise older Covid-19 patients to avoid fasting during Ramzan
For asymptomatic younger patients, however, doctors say there is no risk
Hyderabad: The Telangana government on Saturday instructed Gandhi Hospital to provide food for sehri and iftar to patients observing the Ramzan fast. Health minister Etala Rajendar’s office gave these instructions on the first day of the holy month of Ramzan. A menu vegetable curry and chicken biryani was prepared by the hospital.
Doctors also addressed concerns related to the safety of Covid-19 patients observing fast for the entire month. Dr Md Zuhair Hussain, resident, emergency, medicine and trauma care, Apollo Hospital, Secunderabad, said, “As for asymptomatic patients, there is no health risk if they observe fast daily. I would not suggest fasting for a Covid-positive patient who is on oxygen support and antibiotics.”
Dr Mohammed Jahangir of Osmania General Hospital said, “It is better for Covid-positive patients, even if asymptomatic and above 50 years of age, to not observe the fast. We cannot generalise for an entire group of public, it may be safe for the younger section of asymptomatic positive patients to observe the fast, but those with symptoms like mild cough and fever should not fast.”
He said that it is upon the physician treating a particular patient to ascertain the condition and decide upon allowing fasting.