No proof required to end home insulation: Ministry of Health reviews guidelines

Currently, mild or pre-symptomatic patients can opt for self-isolation in their homes if they have the required self-isolation facility and a caregiver to care for them.

The Ministry of Health Affairs has said that patients in home isolation can end the quarantine after 17 days of symptoms and without fever for 10 days. According to the revised guidelines issued on Sunday, patients with mild symptoms of coronavirus will not need further testing after the period of home isolation ends.

Previously, according to the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health on April 27, home isolation could end after a certificate issued by a medical surveillance officer states that a patient is free of infection.

Currently, mild or pre-symptomatic patients can choose to self-insulation in their homes if they have the necessary self-isolation facility and a caregiver to take care of them.

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The guidelines also add that the patient should regularly report their health status to the district surveillance officer for subsequent surveillance teams. The caregiver and all close contacts of such cases should take hydroxychloroquine as a preventive medication according to protocol and as prescribed by the attending physician.

In addition, it requires the download of the Arogya Setu application on the mobile and must remain active at all times (via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi). Immediate medical attention should be sought if there are severe signs or symptoms, including shortness of breath, persistent chest pain or pressure, mental confusion, development of bluish discoloration of the lips / face or if advised by the physician.

Earlier last week, the ministry had reviewed its Guidelines for patient discharge.

Based on global evidence, 80 percent of COVID cases are mild, while the remaining 20 percent may develop complications that would require hospitalization. Of the hospitalized cases of COVID-19, only 5 percent may require ICU care. According to experts, the primary treatment for COVID-19 is supportive treatment in more than 80 percent of patients and oxygen therapy in about 15 percent of patients along with other drugs.

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