Centre approves of Care Facility in gated communities for mild COVID-19 cases, issues guidelines

The Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry has issued guidelines for COVID Care Facilities in gated residential complexes. Read on to know more.

The COVID Care Facility will follow strict infection prevention and control practices, the guidelines say, stating that confirmed and suspect cases would be kept in separate partitioned areas and no intermixing will be allowed.

With COVID-19 cases rising at an alarming rate in the country, the central government is waking up to the fact that there needs to be a plan in place for the treatment of pre-symptomatic, asymptomatic and mild cases of this disease. You don't have to rush to the hospital if you don't have severe complications. You can easily recover at home with supportive care.

Keeping this in mind, the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry has issued guidelines, including on eligibility, handling of different categories of cases, and so on, for gated residential complexes desirous of setting up small COVID Care facilities run by the Resident Welfare Associations, housing societies and NGOs using their own resources. The ministry believes that this step may be more acceptable to the residents and will help reduce the burden on existing facilities for managing pre-symptomatic, asymptomatic and very mild cases of COVID-19 residing in that particular society.

This facility is not meant for all COVID-19 patients

However, it stressed that this facility is not meant for elderly patients, children less than 10 years of age, pregnant or lactating women, and patients with co-morbidities (diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, kidney disease, chronic respiratory disease, cancer and other immune-compromised states) who shall be admitted to a proper COVID Care facility.

Strict guidelines laid out

The COVID Care Facility will follow strict infection prevention and control practices, the guidelines say, stating that confirmed and suspect cases would be kept in separate partitioned areas and no intermixing will be allowed. There should also be separate toilets for both categories. The facility will be linked to the surveillance team (IDSP) and an ambulance provider, and important telephone numbers of the RWA/residential society/NGO, doctor, caregiver and ambulance service provider shall be displayed prominently.

The makeshift facility may be set up in a community hall or common utility area within the premises of residential complex or empty flats which are isolated location-wise from rest of the occupied dwelling. There will be separate entry and exit. The entrance must have mandatory hand hygiene arrangements (sanitiser dispenser) and thermal screening provisions for caregivers.

COVID care facility guidelines

Here are the other guidelines issued by the Ministry for these care facilities inside gated communities and housing societies.

• The beds shall be placed at a distance of at least one metre (3 feet) from one another.
• Adequate natural room ventilation must be ensured. Exhaust fans to vent out air from the facility is desirable.
• A doctor residing within the gated complex or provided by the NGO will facilitate daily medical examination of the admitted patients.
• A caregiver designated by the RWA/residential society/NGO shall be identified to provide care to the patients.
• Both the doctor and the caregiver so selected will undergo training on the iGot platform (https://diksha.gov.in/igot/) on COVID management and infection, prevention and control practices.
• The caregiver will have to keep records of patients admitted to such facility.
• There will be an oversight mechanism through video camera monitoring or through the guards so that the admitted patients do not leave the facility premises, visit their household, park or other common utility area.
• If a suspect case admitted to COVID Care Facility tests negative, the patient will be assessed by the treating doctor and will either be discharged (on medication, if applicable) or referred to a non- COVID facility as per requirement.
• The facility shall be regularly inspected by the RRTs to provide guidance to the RWA/residential society concerned.

(With inputs from IANS)