Patients With Very Mild Coronavirus Symptoms Can Stay at Home Now

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has said that pre-symptomatic patients or patients with very mild coronavirus symptoms can opt for home isolation provided their homes have the required facility to do so. Presently, every suspected person is quarantined in a hospital setting.

The union ministry stated in the guidelines, “As per existing guidelines, during the containment phase, the patients should be clinically assigned as very mild/mild, moderate or severe and accordingly admitted to COVID Care Centre, Dedicated COVID Health Centre or Dedicated COVID Hospital, respectively.”

Who can opt for home isolation?

Asymptomatic or patients with very mild symptoms are required to fill an undertaking on self-isolation treatment before moving ahead with it. Patients can opt for self-isolation if they fulfil the following guidelines.

Only the individuals who are clinically assigned by the doctor as asymptomatic or very mild cases can stay at home
Individuals who have the required facilities at home to quarantine themselves as well as their family
Everyone who is in contact with the patients must take hydroxychloroquine prophylaxis as prescribed by the treating medical officer
Individuals who download Arogya Setu app on their mobile phones and keep it active at all times
The patient should monitor and update about his/her health regularly to the District Surveillance Officer for further follow-up

Apart from this, the caregivers must wear a mask at all times and follow hand hygiene rigorously. They are also advised to self-monitor and inform in case they too develop any symptom.

When to discontinue self-isolation at home?

If the symptoms are clinically resolved, and the Surveillance Medical Officer assures that the patient has no more infection, then he/she can end self-isolation at home. This can be done after laboratory testing.

Meanwhile, the number of coronavirus cases in India has risen to 29,974 with the total number of deaths at 934. With a focus on reducing the spread of novel coronavirus in India, the nation is under an extended lockdown until 3rd May.