Mild-symptom patients can be isolated at home: Govt
Whether a person can is fit for home isolation will be decided by the treating doctor and surveillance officer. According to existing guidelines, all positive cases are isolated and treated at a facility.
Covid-19 patients who are pre-symptomatic or show mild symptoms can be isolated at home as long as they have enough space to avoid contact with other residents, according to a new Union health ministry guidelines issued on Monday.
Whether a person can is fit for home isolation will be decided by the treating doctor and surveillance officer. According to existing guidelines, all positive cases are isolated and treated at a facility.
Once examined by a doctor, a patient is categorised as very mild or mild, moderate or severe, and accordingly admitted to a Covid care centre, a dedicated Covid health center or a dedicated covid hospital respectively.
A Covid care centre, for mild or asymptomatic patients, is not a hospital but a facility created in hotels, hostels, lodges and, in some areas, even make-shift structures.
“Since in about 80% of the cases, symptoms are mild, these people can stay in their own house. However, there are detailed do’s and don’ts that these people would need to follow to be allowed to stay at home, which includes being close to a hospital in case symptoms worsen and they need medical care,” said a senior health ministry official, asking not to be named.
“These people will be constantly be under observation of a district surveillance officer among other things,” the official added.
The caregiver of the patient, and close family contacts, will also have to take the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine as a prophylactic as per protocol and be strictly under the supervision of a medical officer.
The Aarogya Setu mobile application, which monitors the location of a person, must be installed on the patient’s phone and the device should be kept active at all times.
