New Delhi (NVI): The Union Health Ministry has revised its discharge guidelines for coronavirus disease patients.
As per the new guidelines, the COVID-19 patients will be categorised into into 3 categories in the country which are- Very mild/mild, moderate and severe.
According to the rules till now, a patient was considered fit to be discharged if he or she tested negative on day 14 and then again in a span of 24 hours.
“The revised discharge policy is aligned with the guidelines on the 3 tier COVID facilities and the categorization of the patients based on clinical severity,” the document said.
Based on the categories of the revised guildelines:
1. Mild/very mild/pre-symptomatic cases
Such cases admitted to a Covid-19 care facility will undergo regular temperature and pulse oximetry monitoring.
The patient can be discharged after 10 days of symptom onset and no fever for 3 days. There will be no need for testing prior to discharge.
2. Moderate cases admitted to dedicated Covid-19 Health Centre (Oxygen beds)
Patients whose symptoms resolve within 3 days and they maintain saturation above 95% for the next 4 days
Cases clinically classified as “moderate cases” will undergo monitoring of body temperature and oxygen saturation.
If the fever resolves within 3 days and the patient maintains saturation above 95 per cent for the next 4 days (without oxygen support), such patient will be discharged after 10 days of symptom onset as per the guidelines laid down by the Health Ministry.
3. Severe cases including immunocompromised (HIV patients, transplant recipients, malignancy)
Discharge criteria for severe cases will be based on clinical recovery and patient tested negative once by RT-PCR (after the resolution of symptoms).
