New Delhi (NVI): The Union Health Ministry has issued fresh guidelines for home isolation of people who have been diagnosed with very mild COVID-19 symptoms or for people who are pre-symptomatic.
The fresh guidelines are in addition to the guidelines on proper management of suspect or confirmed cases of COVID-19 issued by the Ministry earlier this month.
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, respectively. However, very mild/pre-symptomatic patients having the requisite facility at his/her residence for self-isolation will have the option for home isolation,” the ministry stated.
As per the eligibility guidelines, these are the steps to follow:
1. The person should be clinically assigned as a very mild case/pre-symptomatic case by the treating medical officer.
2. There should be requisite facility at their residence for self-isolation and also for quarantining the family contacts.
3. A care giver should be available to provide care on 24 x7 basis. All close contacts of such cases should take Hydroxychloroquine prophylaxis as per protocol.
4. The patient should download the Arogya Setu app on their phones and should remain active at all times through Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.
5. The patient shall agree to monitor their health and regularly inform their health status to the District Surveillance Officer for further follow up by the surveillance teams.
The health ministry also listed the symptoms that determine if a patient needs immediate medical attention or not.
However, the patient under home isolation will end the isolation only if and when advised by the treating medical officer, ministry further added.
