Monitored home isolation care for COVID-19 patients in rural areas would begin in two days, said Collector T. G. Vinay.
District Monitoring Officer B. Chandra Mohan announced on June 28 that a strategy would be rolled out soon. Collector T.G. Vinay said 61 COVID-19 positive people in the corporation limits would be monitored every day through tele-consultation. Similar exercise would be followed in rural areas too.
An official from the Government Rajaji Hospital said that the move was to decongest government hospitals and COVID care centres where several hundred people were housed as they either had moderate or severe illness due to COVID-19. Those proposed to be placed under home isolation must meet a certain criteria. “Patients must have a separate room with an attached toilet so that they can be isolated. They must be away from the rest of the people in the household. They must not have any severe co-morbidities and the severity of their infection should only be mild,” he said. There must not be any immuno compromised persons in their house.
He added that those with symptoms of COVID-19 must visit their nearest fever clinic to find out whether or not they could be recommended for monitored home isolation. If permitted, sanitary inspector or sanitary officer would visit the area, paste a sticker to show the presence of a COVID-19 positive patient in the house and barricade the house.
“They will explain all dos and don’ts and connect the patient to the COVID-19 control room and the telemedicine consultation unit set up by the corporation with nurses, doctors and counsellors,” he said.