Health ministry revises Home isolation guidelines for COVID cases: Check new do’s and don’ts

Revised Home Isolation guidelines released. Image: Reuters

Home Isolation guidelines: The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare today issued revised guidelines for Home Isolation of very mild/pre-symptomatic/asymptomatic COVID-19 cases. As per the new guidelines, the person should be clinically assigned as a very mild/pre-symptomatic/asymptomatic case by the treating medical officer for home isolation. He/she should have the requisite facility at their residence for self-isolation and also for quarantining the family contacts.

For elderly patients with co-morbid conditions, home isolation should be provided for only ” after proper evaluation by the treating
medical officer.”

The new guidelines say that for home isolation, a caregiver should be available to provide care on 24 x7 basis. Also, a communication link between
the caregiver and hospital is a prerequisite for the entire duration of home isolation.

The guidelines prescribe use of Hydroxychloroquine prophylaxis as per protocol and as prescribed by the treating medical officer by the caregiver and contacts.

When to discontinue home isolation

The revised guidelines say, “Patient under home isolation will stand discharged after 10 days of symptom onset and no fever for 3 days. Thereafter, the patient will be advised to isolate at home and self-monitor their health for further 7 days. There is no need for testing after the home isolation period is over.”

Precautions to be taken by patients

• 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 elderlies 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 sanitizer.
• 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 develops any deterioration of symptom.