Amid the growing number of confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in India, the ministry of health and family welfare has issued guidelines for self-isolation for people who have requisite facility at home and have very mild symptoms or are pre-symptomatic.
According to the ministry, all suspected (awaiting test results) and confirmed cases of COVID-19 disease are currently being isolated and managed in a hospital setting with the intent to break the chain of transmission.
As per existing guidelines, during the containment phase, the patients are clinically assigned as very mild or mild, moderate or severe and accordingly admitted to COVID care center, dedicated COVID health center or dedicated COVID hospital, respectively. However, very mild or pre-symptomatic patients having the requisite facility at their residence for self-isolation can have the option for home isolation, it added.
The ministry has issued detailed guidelines for such cases...
Eligibility for Home Isolation
i. The person should be clinically assigned as a very mild case/ pre-symptomatic case by the treating medical officer.
ii. Such cases should have the requisite facility at their residence for self-isolation and also for quarantining the family contacts.
iii. A care-giver should be available to provide care on 24 x7 basis. A communication link between the care-giver and hospital is a prerequisite for the entire duration of home isolation.
iv. The care-giver and all close contacts of such cases should take Hydroxychloroquine prophylaxis as per protocol and as prescribed by the treating medical officer.
vi. The patient shall agree to monitor his health and regularly inform his health status to the district surveillance officer for further follow up by the surveillance teams.
vii.The patient will fill in an undertaking on self-isolation and shall follow home quarantine guidelines. Such individual shall be eligible for home isolation.
When To Seek Medical Attention
Patient / Care-giver will keep monitoring their health. Immediate medical attention must be sought if serious signs or symptoms develop. These could include:
i. Difficulty in breathing,
ii. Persistent pain/pressure in the chest,
iii. Mental confusion or inability to arouse,
iv. Developing bluish discolorations of lips/ face and
v. As advised by treating medical officer
Instructions for the Patient
Patient should at all times use triple layer medical mask. Discard mask after 8 hours of use or earlier if they become wet or visibly soiled.
- Mask should be discarded only after disinfecting it with 1% sodium hypo-chlorite.
- Patient must stay in the identified room and away from other people in home, especially elders and those with co-morbid conditions like hypertension, cardiovascular disease, renal disease etc.
- Patient must take rest and drink lot of fluids to maintain adequate hydration
- Follow respiratory etiquettes all the time.
Hands must be washed often with soap and water for at least 40 seconds or clean with alcohol-based sanitiser.
- Don’t share personal items with other people.
- Clean surfaces in the room that are touched often (tabletops, door knobs, handles, etc, with 1% hypochlorite solution.
- The patient must strictly follow the physician’s instructions and medication advice.
- The patient will self-monitor his/her health with daily temperature monitoring and report promptly if he/she develops any deterioration of symptoms.
Instructions for Care-givers
- Mask: The care-giver should wear a triple layer medical mask appropriately when in the same room with the ill person. Front portion of the mask should not be touched or handled during use. If the mask gets wet or dirty with secretions, it must be changed immediately. Discard the mask after use and perform hand hygiene after disposal of the mask.
- He/she should avoid touching own face, nose or mouth.
Hand hygiene must be ensured following contact with ill person or his immediate environment.
- Hand hygiene should also be practiced before and after preparing food, before eating, after using the toilet, and whenever hands look dirty. Use soap and water for hand washing at least for 40 seconds. Alcohol-based hand rub can be used, if hands are not visibly soiled.
- After using soap and water, use of disposable paper towels to dry hands is desirable. If not available, use dedicated clean cloth towels and replace them when they become wet.
- Exposure to Patient: Avoid direct contact with body fluids of the patient, particularly oral or respiratory secretions. Use disposable gloves while handling the patient. Perform hand hygiene before and after removing gloves.
Avoid exposure to potentially contaminated items in his immediate environment (e.g., avoid sharing cigarettes, eating utensils, dishes, drinks, used towels or bed linen).
- Food must be provided to the patient in his room.
- Utensils and dishes used by the patient should be cleaned with soap/detergent and water wearing gloves. The utensils and dishes may be re-used. Clean hands after taking off gloves or handling used items.
- Use triple layer medical mask and disposable gloves while cleaning or handling surfaces, clothing or linen used by the patient. Perform hand hygiene before and after removing gloves.
- The care-giver will make sure that the patient follows the prescribed treatment.
- The care-giver and all close contact will self-monitor their health with daily temperature monitoring and report promptly if they develop any symptom suggestive of COVID-19 (fever/cough/difficulty in breathing)
When to Discontinue Home Isolation
Patients under home isolation will end home isolation if symptoms are clinically resolved and the surveillance medical officer certifies him to be free of infection after laboratory testing.
People who DID NOT have COVID-19 symptoms, but tested positive who:
- are self-isolating at home (or other non-hospital setting)
can leave their 'sick room' and home when:
- At least 7 days have passed since the date of the first positive test
AND
- They continue to have no symptoms (no cough or shortness of breath) since the test
For 3 more days, this group of people should continue to limit contact (stay 6 feet or more away from others) and wear a face covering for their nose and mouth when other people are present (including at home).
For ALL people:
When leaving the home, keep a distance of 6 feet from others and wear a cloth face covering when around other people.
WHO, ICMR, RENOWNED DOCTORS ETC, BUT they are in tit bits. Thanks to MONEY LIFE for publishing such a comprehensive article.