Centre Revises Home Isolation Guidelines For Asymptomatic COVID Patients: All You Need To Know
The Union Health Ministry on Wednesday issued revised guidelines for home isolation of mild and asymptomatic Covid-19 patients.
What are asymptomatic cases?
These guidelines are applicable to Covid-19 patients who have been clinically assessed and assigned as mild /asymptomatic cases (patients with upper respiratory tract symptoms with or without fever, without shortness of breath and having oxygen saturation at room air of more than 93 per cent).
According to the ministry, home isolation is not recommended for immune-compromised patients (HIV, Transplant recipients, Cancer therapy etc.) and shall only be allowed home isolation after proper evaluation by the treating Medical Officer.
What does new guidelines say?
Under the new guidelines, patient under home isolation will stand discharged and end isolation after at least seven days have passed from testing positive and no fever for three successive days. There is no need for re-testing after the home isolation period is over, according to the ministry.
Below are some more instructions for patients in home isolation.?
What are the guidelines for care givers and care at home?
The ministry also tweeted instructions for care givers and how the patients can be treated with home care. Read the documents below.
Who can home isolate?
- The patient should be clinically assigned as mild/ asymptomatic case by the treating medical officer.
- Such cases should have the requisite facility at their residence for self-isolation and for quarantining the family contacts.
- A caregiver (ideally someone who has completed his Covid-19 vaccination schedule) should be available to provide care on 24x7 basis.
- A communication link between caregiver and a medical officer is a prerequisite for the entire duration of home isolation.
- Elderly patients aged more than 60 years and those with co-morbid conditions such as Hypertension, Diabetes, Heart disease, Chronic lung/liver/ kidney disease, Cerebrovascular disease etc shall only be allowed home isolation after proper evaluation by the treating medical officer.
- Patients suffering from immune compromised status (HIV, Transplant recipients, Cancer therapy etc.) are not recommended for home isolation and shall only be allowed home isolation after proper evaluation by the treating medical officer.
- While a patient is allowed home isolation, all other members in the family including other contacts shall follow the home quarantine guidelines.
