Jahnavi Sarma
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Written By: Jahnavi Sarma | Published : April 29, 2020 6:29 PM IST
These guidelines are in addition to guidelines on appropriate management of suspect and confirmed case that was earlier issued by the Ministry. @Shutterstock
With the number of COVID-19 cases surging alarmingly on a daily basis across the country, the Indian government is leaving no stones unturned to contain the spread of the disease. In keeping with this line of though, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare have come out with revised guidelines for home isolation of very mild and pre-symptomatic COVID-19 cases.
These guidelines are in addition to guidelines on appropriate management of suspect and confirmed case that was earlier issued by the Ministry. The earlier guideline required suspected patients who were awaiting test results and also confirmed cases of COVID-19 to be isolated and managed in a hospital setting. This was done to break the chain of transmission. The earlier guidelines also said that during the containment phase, patients must be clinically assigned as very mild/mild, moderate or severe and accordingly admitted to either a COVID care center, a dedicated COVID health center or a dedicated COVID hospital respectively. However, now it gives the option of home isolation for very mild/pre-symptomatic patients who had the requisite facility at his or her residence for self-isolation. Let us take a look at the new guidelines.
The guidelines state that the patient and care giver will keep monitoring their health. They must seek immediate medical attention if serious signs or symptoms like difficulty in breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest and confusion develops. They must also report any bluish discolorations of lips or face and follow the advice of the treating medical officer diligently.
Patients will end home isolation if symptoms are clinically resolved and the surveillance medical officer certifies him to be free of infection after laboratory testing.
