Eight medical staff test positive, reducing number of RRTs from 96 to 88

Prayagraj: At least eight medical staff who are part of the Rapid Response Teamss (RRTs) tested positive for Covid-19 on Wednesday, reducing the number of RRTs in the city from 96 to 88.
In order to ensure proper treatment, care and adequate quarantine arrangements for the many Covid patients isolating in their respective homes, the district health department has formed a total of 96 RRTs. The permission for home isolation is granted only after the RRTs inspect the home of a patient and approve of the facilities, including the presence of a caregiver and decent living conditions.
However, after eight medical and para medical staff tested positive, there are 88 RRTs operating in the city currently.
Statistics of the health department revealed that as many as 50,356 patients had applied/been permitted for home isolation since the outbreak of the disease, and 41,766 of them have completed the period of home isolation. Currently, over 9,000 patients are under home isolation facility.
Senior medical officer and nodal officer (RRT), Dr Anupam Dwivedi informed that only asymptomatic patients below 60 years can opt for home isolation if they have the requisite facilities at home and can avoid contact with other family members. On Tuesday (April 27) alone, as many as 1,565 patients completed home isolation.
Patients must have a home quarantine kit comprising of a pulse oximeter, thermometer, masks, sterile gloves, sodium hypochlorite and tablets of ashwagandha, giloy and vitamin C.
Earlier, there were a medical and a para medical staff in each RRT, but after the health department doubled the strength of RRTs, just one medical officer or a para medica staff visits and inspects the home of a patient to approve the facilities there.
Dr Dwivedi, however, admitted, “On an average, over 50-60 per cent of Covid patients without symptoms seek home quarantine facility. Once a patient applies for home isolation, an RRT visits their home for inspection. The team compiles details including patient’s name, age, sex, address, ward number (number of monitoring committees), mobile number and the date when they tested positive.
“The RRT also notes if the patient is suffering from cough, cold, breathlessness, high/low blood pressure and oxygen saturation, besides details of any other ailment,” he added..
He, however, made it clear that patients suffering from any other ailments are not eligible for home isolation facility.
Officials, meanwhile, said patients should monitor their health regularly and keep the district surveillance officer informed about the latest status.