Are You Taking Care Of A Covid Patient At Home? Health Ministry Lists Out Points To Remember
As COVID-19 numbers began to shoot through the roof, the Union Health Ministry issued revised guidelines for care givers. Here are some points to keep in mind and protect yourself if you're taking care of COVID patient at home. Take a look.??
*Note: Older adults and people of any age with serious underlying medical conditions are at higher risk for developing more severe illness from COVID-19. People at higher risk of severe illness should call their doctor as soon as symptoms start. The following guidelines are as per ICMR and WHO.?
Instructions for care giver
1) Mask
- The caregiver should wear a triple layer medical mask. N95 mask may be considered when in the same room with the ill person.
- Front portion of the mask should not be touched or handled during use.
- If the mask gets wet or dirty with secretions, it must be changed immediately.
- Mask should be discarded after cutting them to pieces and putting in a paper bag for a minimum of 72 hours.
- Perform hand hygiene after disposal of the mask.
- He/she should avoid touching own face, nose or mouth.
2) Hand hygiene
- Hand hygiene must be ensured following contact with ill person or his immediate environment.
- Use soap and water for hand washing at least for 40 seconds. Alcohol-based hand rub can be used, if hands are not visibly soiled.
- After using soap and water, use of disposable paper towels to dry hands is desirable. If not available, use dedicated clean cloth towels and replace them when wet.
- Perform hand hygiene before and after removing gloves.
3) Exposure to patient/their environment
- Avoid direct contact with body fluids (respiratory, oral secretion, including saliva) of the patient. Use disposable gloves while handling the patient.
- Avoid exposure to potentially contaminated items in his immediate environment (E.g: Utensils, dishes, drinks, towels, bed linen, etc.)
- Food must be provided to the patient is his room. Utensils and dishes used by the patient must be cleaned with soap/detergent and water while wearing gloves. The utensils must be re-used after proper cleaning.
- Clean hands after taking off gloves or handling used items. Use triple layer medical mask and disposable gloves while cleaning or handling surfaces, clothing or linen used by the patient.
- Perform hand hygiene before and after removing gloves.
4) Biomedical waste disposal
- Effective and safe disposal of general wastes such as disposable items, used food, packets, fruit peel offs, used water bottles, left-over food, disposable food plates, etc. should be ensured. They should be collected in bags securely tied for handling over to waste collectors.
- Further, the used masks, glove and tissues or swabs, contaminated with blood/body fluids of Covid patients, including used syringes, medicines, etc, should be treated as biomedical waste and disposed of accordingly by collecting the same in a yellow bag and handed over to waste collector separately.
Seek immediate medical help
Patient/caregiver monitoring health of the patient must seek immediate medical attention if serious signs or symptoms develop. These could include:
1) Unresolved high grade fever; >100 degree Fahrenheit for more than 3 days
2) Difficulty in breathing
3) Sp02<93% on room air at least 3 reading within 1 hour or Respiratory rate > 24/min
4) Persistent pain/pressure in the chest
5) Mental confusion or inability to arouse
6) Severe fatigue and myalgia
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