In the interest of the psychological health of patients who have tested positive for COVID-19 and admitted to hospitals, the COVID-19 technical advisory committee (TAC) in Karnataka is deliberating allowing relatives to visit patients for a short duration after following elaborate safety measures.
The move comes two days after the Rajasthan government issued an order that allows attendants in PPE kit to visit patients in hospitals and even provide them with home-cooked food.
A source in Karnataka’s TAC said they had observed that many of the COVID-19 patients in hospitals were mentally disturbed with the isolation and would require emotional support. Based on this, they want to introduce visiting hours at COVID-19 wards.
Mental health
“Some of them spend close to 15 days in the hospital and we are sure their mental health will improve if they meet and interact with their friends or family. They will, however, be allowed to visit only for a few minutes,” a source in the committee said.
However, the experts have said that the modalities of these visits will have to be chalked out to ensure that all precautions are taken so that the attendants do not pick up the infection from the hospital.
“Hospitals will have to exercise this option to needy patients. We will lay down the standard operating procedure of how the PPE kits will have to be used, the distance they maintain and also tell them to not touch any surfaces in the wards,” the source said.
A doctor who works in a city-based hospital and is on COVID-19 duty said: “Even once this option is given, not everybody will be keen to use it as they will have elderly people or those with comorbidities that they come in contact with. But it is a good move and keeps the best interest of patients in mind and it needs a lot of planning.”