AMN / NEW DELHI
Government has issued new guidelines for home isolation for people with very mild symptoms of coronavirus. The guidlines issued by the Health Ministry say, people who have very mild symptoms of coronavirus or those pre-symptomatic can opt for home isolation if they have the requisite self-isolation facility at their homes. This is necessary to to avoid contact with other family members.
The patient should be clinically assigned as a very mild case or pre-symptomatic case by the treating medical officer. The Guidelines say, the patient should regularly inform his health status to the district surveillance officer for urther follow up.
The care giver and all close contacts of such individuals should take Hydroxychloroquine as a preventive medication according to the protocol and as prescribed by the treating medical officer.
All suspected including those awaiting test results and confirmed cases of COVID-19 disease are currently being isolated and managed in hospitals with the intent to break the chain of transmission.
As per existing guidelines, during the containment phase the patients should be clinically assigned as very mild/mild, moderate or severe and accordingly admitted to COVID Care Centre, Dedicated COVID Health Centre or Dedicated COVID Hospital.
A care giver has to be available to provide care on a 24×7 basis. A communication link between the care giver and hospital is also a prerequisite for the entire duration of home isolation.
Immediate medical attention must be sought if serious signs or symptoms including difficulty in breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, mental confusion, developing bluish discolorations of lips/face develop or if is advised by treating medical officer.
The home isolation will end when symptoms are clinically resolved and the surveillance medical officer certifies the patient to be free of infection after laboratory testing.The guidelines also call for downloading the Arogya Setu App on mobile and it should remain active at all times.