Explained: What is the revised discharge policy of the Ministry of Health for patients with COVID-19?

According to the revised guidelines, after discharge, patients must follow isolation at home for seven days. (Express photo: Amit Mehra)

On Friday, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare published its revised policy for the discharge of patients with COVID-19.

Discharge policy for mild / very mild / pre-symptomatic cases

Such cases can be discharged without tests ten days after the onset of symptoms and if they do not have a fever for at least three days. In the previous advisory, COVID-19 patients could only be discharged after chest radiograph clearance, viral clearance in respiratory specimens, and if two of the patient’s specimens were negative within 24 hours.

Now, according to the revised guidelines, after discharge, patients must continue isolation at home for seven days. However, if the patient’s oxygen saturation drops below 95 percent prior to discharge, the patient will be transferred to a COVID Health Center. It is important that oxygen saturation be maintained at the required levels, as if oxygen levels begin to drop below 90 percent, patients may experience lethargy, confusion, or mental disorders.

Moderate cases admitted to a dedicated COVID Health Center

Cases clinically classified as moderate will undergo a control of body temperature and oxygen saturation. If the fever resolves within three days and the patient maintains an oxygen saturation level above 95 percent for the next four days without oxygen, such patients will be discharged within ten days of the onset of symptoms:

Absence of fever

Dyspnoea resolution

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Does not require oxygen

If these conditions are met, moderate patients also do not need to be screened before discharge and will be recommended to continue isolation at home for a period of seven days.

Furthermore, for moderate cases whose fever does not resolve in three days and that require oxygenation, they will be discharged only after resolution of clinical symptoms and if they can maintain oxygen saturation for three consecutive days. RT-PCR testing is also not required for these patients.

Serious cases, including immunocompromised patients with HIV or transplant recipients

The discharge policy for severe cases is based on clinical recovery and will have to be tested by RT-PCR after resolution of your symptoms.

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