Home Isolation Rules For COVID-19 Patients: Tested Positive For COVID With Mild Symptoms? Follow These Rules

In India, the variant has been found in several states, however, the symptoms associated with it are mostly mild, and none of the patients have required any kind of ventilation or major treatments.

Omicron, the super mutated version of COVID-19 was first detected in South Africa on 24 November 2021. The variant has over 30 worrisome mutations in its spike protein which makes it more transmissible and vaccine-resistant than all the previous strains of COVID-19. In India, the variant has been found in several states, however, the symptoms associated with it are mostly mild, and none of the patients have required any kind of ventilation or major treatments. But, there is still a surge in the number of cases in the country, as the strain transmits way faster than Delta. Issuing a warning over the 'third wave' of coronavirus, the Union health ministry has released revised guidelines for home isolation for mild and asymptomatic infections.

"It has been seen globally as well as in India that majority of cases of Covid-19 are either asymptomatic or have very mild symptoms. Such cases usually recover with minimal interventions and accordingly may be managed at home under proper medical guidance and monitoring," the health ministry stated. The ministry also added that the home isolation of COVID-19 patients will end after at least seven days from testing positive and no fever for three successive days.

Who All Will Be Considered Asymptomatic COVID Patients?

Since the first report of Omicron emerged from southern Africa, many experts stated that this variant is not causing any severe symptoms. The cases are mostly asymptomatic. So, who are asymptomatic COVID patients? Asymptomatic cases are laboratory-confirmed cases who are not experiencing any symptoms and have oxygen saturation at room air of more than 93 percent.

Clinically assigned mild cases are patients with upper respiratory tract symptoms with or without fever, without shortness of breath, and having oxygen saturation at room air of more than 93 percent.

Revised Home Isolation Rules For COVID-19 Patients

1. The patient should be clinically assigned as a mild/ asymptomatic case by the treating Medical Officer to be eligible for home isolation.
2. Such cases should have the requisite facility at their residence for self-isolation and for quarantining the family contacts.
3. Elderly patients aged more than 60 years and those with co-morbid conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, chronic lung/liver/ kidney disease, and cerebrovascular disease shall only be allowed home isolation after proper evaluation by the treating medical officer.
4. Patients suffering from immune-compromised status (HIV, transplant recipients, cancer therapy) are not recommended for home isolation and shall only be allowed home isolation after proper evaluation by the treating medical officer.
5. Patients should stay in a well-ventilated room with cross ventilation and windows should be kept open to allow fresh air to come in.
6. A patient should at all times use a triple-layer medical mask and they should discard the mask after eight hours of use or earlier if the mask becomes wet or is visibly soiled.
7. In the event of a caregiver entering the room, both caregiver and patient may preferably consider using N-95 mask and it should be discarded after cutting them to pieces and putting them in a paper bag for a minimum of 72 hours.
8. The patients shall not share personal items including utensils with other people in the household.
9. Self-monitoring of blood oxygen saturation with a pulse oximeter for the patient is advised.
10. The patient may self-monitor breathing rate/respiratory rate in sitting position, breathe normally, and count the number of breaths taken in 1 full minute, the guideline said.
11. The patient shall self-monitor his/her health with daily temperature monitoring (as given below) and report promptly if any deterioration of symptom is noticed. The status shall be shared with the treating Medical Officer as well as surveillance teams/Control room.
12. The caregiver should wear a triple layer medical mask and N-95 mask may be considered when in the same room with the ill person and maintain hand hygiene among others.

(With inputs from Agencies)