The Union Health Ministry has issued fresh guidelines on home isolation for coronavirus patients who have only either very mild symptoms of the infection or are “pre-symptomatic”.
According to the present guidelines in place during the containment phase, the patient should be classified as very mild, mild, moderate or severe and suitably admitted to a COVID Care Centre or dedicated hospital.
“However, very mild/ presymptomatic patients having the requisite facility at his/her residence for self-isolation will have the option for home isolation,” the ministry’s statement said.
Eligibility for home isolation
– The person should be clinically assigned as a very mild case/ pre-symptomatic case by the treating medical officer.
– Such cases should have the requisite facility at their residence for self-isolation and also for quarantining the family contacts.
– A caregiver should be available to provide care on 24 x7 bases. A communication link
between the caregiver and hospital is a prerequisite for the entire duration of home isolation.
– The caregiver and all close contacts of such cases should take Hydroxychloroquine
prophylaxis as per protocol and as prescribed by the treating medical officer.
– Download Arogya Setu App on mobile and it should remain active at all times (through Bluetooth and Wi-Fi)
– The patient shall agree to monitor his health and regularly inform his health status to the
District Surveillance Officer for further follow up by the surveillance teams.
– The patient will fill in an undertaking on self-isolation and shall follow home quarantine guidelines. Such individual shall be eligible for home isolation.
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When Should Patient Seek Medical Attention?
The patient or the caregiver should keep monitoring their health. Immediate medical attention must be sought if serious signs or symptoms develop. These could include:
- Difficulty in breathing
- Persistent pain/pressure in the chest
- Mental confusion or inability to arouse
- Developing bluish discolorations of lips/face
- As advised by treating medical officer
When To Discontinue Home Isolation?
Patients under home isolation can end home isolation if their symptoms are clinically resolved and the surveillance medical officer certifies him or her to be free of infection after lab test are done.