Health Ministry releases revised guidelines for home isolation of mild COVID-19 cases

After Union Health Minister assured that 'recovery from COVID was possible at home', the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Thursday issued revised guidelines for home isolation of mild as well as asymptomatic COVID-19 patients. This comes at a time when India is registering more than 3 lakh fresh COVID-19 cases every day, putting great stress on the health infrastructure.

Who is fit for home isolation and who is not? 

As per the revised guidelines, asymptomatic and mild COVID patients are fit for home isolation. Elaborating on the same, the guidelines read, "The asymptomatic cases that are laboratory-confirmed and are not experiencing any symptoms and have oxygen saturation at room air of more than 94 per cent, and the mild cases with upper respiratory tract symptoms (and/or fever) without shortness of breath and having oxygen saturation at room air of more than 94 per cent, are fit for home isolation." It, however, outlined, "In case of falling oxygen saturation levels or shortness of breath, later on, the person should seek immediate consultation with the treating physician or surveillance team and resort to hospital admission if required ."

Dos and Don'ts for those in home isolation

• The patients must isolate themselves from the other family members, stay in the identified, well-ventilated room and away from others. 
• They should wear a mask at all times. The mask should be discarded after eight hours of use or earlier if they become wet or visibly soiled.
• They should take rest and drink a lot of fluids to maintain adequate hydration, follow respiratory etiquette at all times. 
• Perform warm-water gargles or take steam inhalation twice a day.
• If fever is not controlled with a maximum dose, they should take Paracetamol 650 mg four times a day. 
• Tab. Ivermectin (200 mcg/kg once a day, to be taken on an empty stomach) for 3 to 5 days should be considered. 
• Inhalational Budesonide (given via inhalers with spacer at a dose of 800 mcg twice daily for five to seven days) to be given if the symptoms (fever and/or cough) persist beyond five days. 
• Oral steroids should not be taken in mild cases and if the symptoms (persistent fever, worsening cough etc.) persist beyond seven days, the treating doctor should be consulted for treatment with low-dose oral steroids.
• Remdesivir injections should not be procured and administer at home and should only be administered in a hospital, on the advice of a doctor. 

The guidelines clearly stated that the patients must be in communication with a treating physician and promptly report to the latter in case of any deterioration, and if everything remains fine, they will stand discharged after at least 10 days have passed from the onset of the symptoms (or from the date of sampling for asymptomatic cases) and no fever has been reported in three days. "There is no need for testing after the home isolation period is over," the guidelines stated. 

(Credit-PTI)