As per the data obtained from Dr. M. D. Sachidananda Murthy Memorial Hospitals and analysis of it, an estimated 30- 45% of population coming for routine checkup belong to the geriatric age group. This is a vulnerable population and therefore more susceptible to developing serious disease on exposure.
These assumptions are based on the study Ref1 of 1,590 Covid-19 affected patients. Severe cases accounted for 16.0% of the study population. Of the 1,590 cases, 399 (25.1%) were reported to having at least one comorbidity. When the study compared severe versus non-severe cases (32.8% versus 10.3%), the severe cases had >=1 comorbid factor. Patients with at least one comorbidity were older (mean: 60.8 versus 44.8 years)
It was further identified 130 (8.2%) patients reported having two or more comorbidities. Two or more comorbidities were more commonly seen in severe cases than in non-severe cases (40.0% versus 29.4%). Patients with two or more comorbidities were older (mean: 66.2 versus 58.2 years)
Extrapolating the findings of this study to our program, SAV will play a prominent role in stratifying the people with comorbidities. Also the number of visits these patients have to make to the hospital otherwise for routine checkups will be minimized and thereby halting community transmission of infection.
Also, a card will be issued by SAV to these patients which will mention what comorbid conditions the patient has and the recent laboratory data pertaining to it. This will help the patient and the doctors a great deal if the patient requires hospitalization in future.
Ref 1: Comorbidity and its impact on 1590 patients with Covid-19 in China: A Nationwide Analysis Wei-jie Guan, Wen-hua Liang,et al. European respiratory journal.