Union Health Ministry issues new guidelines for home isolation

The Union Ministry of Health on Monday issued detailed guidelines for home isolation of Covid-19 patients, who display very mild symptoms of the disease or are pre-symptomatic.

The guidelines are in addition to guidelines on “appropriate management of suspect/confirmed case of COVID-19” that were issued by the Union Health Ministry on April 7.

Till now, all those suspected of Covid-19, those who were awaiting test results and confirmed cases were isolated and managed in a hospital setting to “break the chain of transmission”. The patients were isolated at dedicated Covid-19 centres or hospitals based on the severity of their symptoms.

Pre-requisites needed

According to the new guidelines however, very mild/pre-symptomatic patients can now self-isolate at home. “Very mild/pre-symptomatic patients having the requisite facility at his/her residence for self-isolation will have the option for home isolation,” the Ministry said.

A pre-requisite for the option is that the patient should be clinically assigned as a very mild case/pre-symptomatic case by the treating medical officer, and should have the requisite facility at their residence for self-isolation as well as for quarantining their family contacts.

“A care giver should be available to provide care on 24 x7 basis. A communication link between the caregiver and hospital is a prerequisite for the entire duration of home isolation,” reads the guideline.

The caregiver and all persons coming in contact with the patient are required to take Hydroxychloroquine prophylaxis as per protocol and as prescribed by the treating medical officer.

The patient must also download the government’s contact tracing app Arogya Setu on their mobiles and keep it active at all times through Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. They are also required to monitor their health regularly and inform the status of their health to the District Surveillance Officer for further follow up by the surveillance teams.

The guidelines also include a self-declaration form for following the rules as stated which needs to be signed by the Covid-19 cases opting for home isolation.

However, the Ministry also mentions conditions under which they may have to seek immediate medical attention.

When to seek help

If the person develops symptoms such as difficulty in breathing, persistent pain/pressure in the chest, mental confusion or inability to arouse or developing bluish discolourations of lips/face, they are required to seek medical attention. This also implies in case of medical checkup as advised by the patient’s treating medical officer.

Patients under home isolation can end home isolation once their symptoms are clinically resolved and the surveillance medical officer certifies them to be free of infection after laboratory testing.

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