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Dr. Ramesh Peramsetty, the chief physician and owner of First Care and Crimson Care in Tuscaloosa, is always up-to-date about advancements in treatment for COVID-19.
The list of possible symptoms related to COVID-19 is long, and it can be overwhelming, especially since so much information has evolved about the disease over the last few months. He shares this knowledge with patients to provide the best possible treatment for COVID-19.
“As with many aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic, how we treat the disease has changed over the last several months,” says Dr. Peramsetty. “Each patient is different and may require a unique course of treatment, but we want everyone to have an idea of what they can expect when being treated for COVID-19.”
Why Dr. Peramsetty Treats Symptoms First
Dr. Peramsetty says that when COVID-19 presents with mild to moderate symptoms, patients may manage the illness at home. For these patients who do not require hospitalization, his overall recommendation is to treat symptoms first.
For a headache, body aches, and fever, this might mean prescribing Tylenol. Zyrtec/Mucinex for congestion. Robitussin/Delsym for cough. For stomach problems, such as diarrhea, this might mean taking Imodium.
“However, if you have serious symptoms such as difficulty breathing, tightness in the chest, or severe dehydration, we will recommend that you go to the emergency room,” Dr. Peramsetty says.
The recommendation on whether or not to go to the hospital may depend on underlying health conditions and other risk factors for severe disease. Since each patient is unique and symptoms can vary so widely, our decision about whether monitoring and care should take place in an inpatient or outpatient setting will be made on a case-by-case basis.
If you do have an increased chance of progressing to severe illness, we will want to monitor you more closely.
COVID-19 Treatment for Children
When it comes to COVID, we almost have to put children into a category of their own. We are all pleased that the trend of milder disease in children has continued. Dr. Peramsetty says this trend of seeing less severe illness in pediatric patients has held true at First Care and Crimson Care.
Most children we see have symptoms consistent with upper respiratory infections, including runny nose, sneezing, congestion, and cough. By treating symptoms as we would with adults, we can often manage the illness at home while the child isolates away from others. We will also want to monitor children with underlying health conditions closely.
Find Out If COVID-19 Treatment is Necessary
For children, we perform throat swabs instead of nose swabs, says Dr. Peramsetty. This is often easier to handle on staff, parents, and the child being tested.
For adults and children who have symptoms or possible exposure to COVID-19, we offer drive-up testing at First Care and Crimson Care. This may eliminate the need for you to come inside.
Dr. Peramsetty says testing at First Care and Crimson Care typically follows this protocol :
You will drive up to our designated testing area and pick up your paperwork from the med team outside.
Once completed, you will bring your paperwork back to our team. After we have checked you into our system, we will call you to drive underneath the awning.
One of our medical professionals will then do a telehealth visit with a doctor inside the building to determine your testing and treatment plan.
Next, we perform the swab and collect other information needed. If you are experiencing COVID symptoms, we’ll conduct the rapid test, and deliver your results in 15 minutes. If you’re being tested for the flu or you do not yet have active COVID symptoms, we’ll do a 24 hour PCR test. We will send you home, and you will receive your results by telephone or email.
We are currently conducting a large volume of tests, and we ask that you allow 48 hours to receive your results. Notifying patients who have a positive result is our top priority, and those individuals will receive a phone call. Negative results will be delivered through email.
Dr. Peramsetty will continue to stay on the front line of learning about and adopting new treatment options as they become available.
Let First Care provide you with the best medical services Tuscaloosa has to offer, including COVID-19 treatment
Dr. Ramesh Peramsetty -- along with the whole First Care clinical staff -- is committed to offering critical medical services during the COVID-19 pandemic. First Care is conveniently located between DCH Regional Medical Center and Northport DCH on McFarland Boulevard. We offer extended weekday hours and Saturday and Sunday hours. We are a one-stop treatment facility, including medical care, x-rays, lab work, and prescription dispensing. Visit our website, or call us today at First Care: (205) 349-2323.