COVID-19: Centre issues revised guidelines for home-isolation

New Delhi, May 11: The Government has issued revised guidelines for home isolation for very mild/pre-symptomatic COVID-19 cases.

As per existing guidelines, during the containment phase the patients should be clinically assigned as very mild/mild, moderate or severe and accordingly admitted to (i) COVID Care Center, (ii) Dedicated COVID Health Center or (iii) Dedicated COVID Hospital respectively. Guidelines for home isolation of very mild/pre-symptomatic patients were issued on 27th April 2020. The present guidelines are in supersession of the guidelines issued on 27th April 2020.

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However, very mild/pre-symptomatic patients having the requisite facility at his/her residence for self-isolation will have the option for home isolation.

Eligibility for home isolation

• The person should be clinically assigned as a very mild case/ pre-symptomatic case by the treating medical officer.
• Such cases should have the requisite facility at their residence for self-isolation and also for quarantining the family contacts.
• A care giver should be available to provide care on 24 x7 basis. A communication link between the caregiver and hospital is a prerequisite for the entire duration of home isolation.
• 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.
• Download Arogya Setu App on mobile (available at: https://www.mygov.in/aarogya-setu- app/) and it should remain active at all times (through Bluetooth and Wi-Fi)
• 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.
• The patient will fill in an undertaking on self-isolation (Annexure I) and shall follow home quarantine guidelines. Such individual shall be eligible for home isolation.
• In addition to the guidelines on home-quarantine available at: https://www.mohfw.gov.in/pdf/Guidelinesforhomequarantine.pdf, the required instructions for the care giver and the patient as in Annexure II shall be also followed.

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:

• Difficulty in breathing,
• Persistent pain/pressure in the chest,
• Mental confusion or inability to arouse,
• Developing bluish discolorations of lips/face and
• As advised by treating medical officer

When to discontinue home isolation:

Patient under home isolation will end home isolation after 17 days of onset of symptoms (or date of sampling, for pre-symptomatic cases) and no fever for 10 days. There is no need for testing after the home isolation period is over.

Undertaking on self-isolation:

I .............................. S/W of ........................, resident of ........................................ being diagnosed as a confirmed/suspect case of COVID-19, do hereby voluntarily undertake to maintain strict self-isolation at all times for the prescribed period. During this period I shall monitor my health and those around me and interact with the assigned surveillance team/with the call center (1075), in case I suffer from any deteriorating symptoms or any of my close family contacts develops any symptoms consistent with COVID-19.

I have been explained in detail about the precautions that I need to follow while I am under self- isolation.

I am liable to be acted on under the prescribed law for any non-adherence to self-isolation protocol.

Signature____________________ Date________________________ Contact Number ______________