COVID-19: Health Ministry Issues New Guidelines For Home Isolation

NEW DELHI: As a large number of people showing no symptoms being detected for COVID-19, the Union health ministry on Thursday revised the home isolation guidelines to include asymptomatic positive patients in the list of mild or pre-symptomatic coronavirus infection cases.

However, patients suffering from immune-compromised status (like HIV, transplant recipients, cancer therapy) are not eligible for home isolation.

India reported 20,903 new coronavirus cases and 379 deaths on Friday. The country’s overall count rose to 6,25,544 and the toll reached 18,213. More than 3.79 lakh people have recovered from the coronavirus, according to the union health ministry update on Friday morning.

Here is the list of the new HOME ISOLATION guidelines:

• Elderly patients aged more than 60 years and those with co-morbid conditions shall only be allowed home isolation after proper evaluation by the treating medical officer.
• Patients under home isolation will stand discharged after 10 days of onset of symptoms and no fever for three days.
• Patients will be advised to isolate at home and self-monitor their health for further seven days.
• There is no need for testing after the home isolation period is over.
• Asymptomatic patients like the ones who are pre-symptomatic and have very mild symptoms can opt for home isolation if they have the requisite self-isolation facility at their residence so as to avoid contact with other family members.
• A care giver should be available to provide care on 24x7 basis and the communication link between the caregiver and hospital is a prerequisite for the entire duration of home isolation.
• Caregiver and all close contacts of such cases should take hydroxychloroquine as a preventive medication
• Download the Arogya Setu mobile application and that it should remain active at all times (through bluetooth and wi-fi).
• Patients should monitor their health and regularly inform the health status to the district surveillance officer, who will facilitate further follow up by the surveillance teams.
• Patient needs to give an undertaking stating being diagnosed as a confirmed/suspect case of COVID-19, he/she hereby voluntarily undertake to maintain strict self-isolation at all times for the prescribed period.
• Immediate medical attention must be sought if serious signs or symptoms, including difficulty in breathing, dip in oxygen saturation, persistent pain/pressure in the chest, mental confusion or inability to arouse, slurred speech/seizures, weakness or numbness in any limb or face and developing bluish discolorations of lips/face.
• States and districts should monitor all such cases, and that the health status of those under home isolation should be monitored by the field staff/surveillance teams through personal visits along with a dedicated call centre to follow up on the patients on a daily basis.
• The clinical status of each case should be recorded by the field staff/call center (body temperature, pulse rate and oxygen saturation).
• The field staff will guide the patient on measuring these parameters and provide the instructions (for patients and their care givers).
• Details about patients under home isolation should also be updated on COVID-19 portal and facility app (with DSO as user).
• Mechanism to shift patient in case of violation or need for treatment has to be established and implemented.
• All family members and close contacts shall be monitored and tested as per protocol by the field staff. These discharge guidelines shall be strictly adhered to along with issuance of a fitness certificate by the field team.