As cases surge, no isolation for civil covid staff

█ ICMR GUIDELINE: 3-DAY ISOLATION AFTER 7-DAY COVID DUTY

Doctors, paramedical staff at 1,200-bed Covid hospital will not get quarantined between work, Civil’s core panel decides; medical superintendent says it was based on doctors’ representation

Doctors and paramedical staff on Covid duty are supposed to mandatorily quarantine themselves after the stipulated number of days on duty, as per guidelines issued by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). However, Ahmedabad Civil Hospital has decided to do away with this rule. Now, there will be no quarantine period for those on Covid duty, including doctors and paramedical staff at the hospital. Instead, they will have to discharge non-Covid duties.

The decision, which comes in wake of the sudden surge in fresh cases, was taken by the Covid core committee of the hospital.

Dr J V Modi, medical superintendent of the hospital, said that the decision was based on doctors' representation that they did not want to undergo quarantine. However, sources said that the main reason was the likelihood of shortage of medical and paramedical staff at the hospital as cases continue to increase steadily.

There were 1,515 cases, the highest so far in the State, on Saturday. The number dropped marginally to 1,495 on Sunday. Ahmedabad has been accounting for the maximum daily cases for the past few days. The district had 373 cases on Saturday and 341 on Sunday. As a result, beds have been filling up rapidly, both at government and private hospitals.


'Will allow quarantine for those who seek it'

Elaborating on the development, a professor at the civil hospital said, "Now, doctors on Covid duty at the hospital will not be given the quarantine period break. This decision was taken during the Covid core committee meeting of the hospital on November 18. Instead of the quarantine period, they will have to do non-Covid duty." While confirming the development, Dr Modi said, "Doctors had made a representation that they did not want to be quarantined. On the basis of their representation, this decision was taken by the core committee. However, if anyone wants to get quarantined, we will allow that."

'3-day isolation was pointless'

When contacted, additional medical superintendent of the hospital Dr Rajnish Patel said, "Earlier, as per ICMR guidelines, there was to be a 10-day quarantine period after 10 days of Covid duty. Thereafter, changes were made as and when ICMR made any. As per the last guideline, a three-day quarantine break was to be given after seven days of Covid duty."



"However, our observation was that three days of quarantine after seven days of Covid duty is pointless as this period does not help the quarantined persons in any way. On the other hand, their absence affects the treatment of the patients and disturbs the hospital system. Hence it was decided to remove the quarantine period for the entire staff," Dr Patel added.

Asked about the risk of transmission by putting Covid staff on non-Covid duty, he said, "As per the WHO guidelines, doctors and patients, irrespective of whether they have Covid or not, have to wear masks at all times. So if they have their masks on, the chances of transmission would be just 0.5%."

Rule just for A'bad Civil?

Asked if the rule of removing the quarantine period would be implemented across the State, health commissioner Jai Prakash Shivahare said, "We have been following WHO guidelines. But cases surfaced in large numbers post-Diwali. As a result, hospitals are getting more patients. Hence, we have given them the authority to take certain decisions on their own. It was under this that the Ahmedabad Civil core committee took the decision."