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The Director General of Health clarified this Monday that the return to school or the hiring of asymptomatic patients or with mild symptoms of covid-19, after 10 days of isolation, depends solely on a discharge declaration.
Until now, the return of these patients to school or to the workplace depended on the presentation of a negative test for SARS-CoV-2, covid-19 virus, but with the update of the standard of the General Directorate of Health ( DGS)) which reduces the isolation period to 10 days, tests are no longer necessary.
“The treating doctor will issue the necessary statement for that person to return to school or to employment,” explained Graça Freitas during the usual press conference on covid-19 in Portugal.
Observation of symptom improvement is required
According to the DGS standard published this Wednesday, the end of isolation measures, without the need to test the new coronavirus, of asymptomatic patients or with mild or moderate disease occurs after 10 days, provided that, in cases with symptoms, are not using antipyretics for three days in a row and “symptoms improve significantly”.
The Independent Physicians Union warned that the measure has raised doubts among the population and, in particular, among school boards, parents’ associations, business and union associations, household and social security boards.
Asked what are the necessary conditions for recovery, given that the negative test is no longer a requirement, the CEO explained that The same treating physician responsible for the discharge of the patient must also complete a supporting statement..
“This hospital discharge corresponds to the end of the isolation in which that person was. Go back to work or go back to school, ”he said.
“The clinical evolution is more relevant than the laboratory evolution”
Graça Freitas also justified the change, stating that the update of the standard accompanies the most recent data on the evolution of the disease and the transmissibility of the virus, and advice from the World Health Organization and the European Center for Infectious Disease Control.
“The conclusion we reached is that clinical evolution is more relevant than laboratory evolution in determining whether an individual is still infectious or not,” he said, adding that this criterion applies to many other diseases, including influenza.
According to the CEO, the most recent data points to a Reduction in the transmission capacity of the new coronavirus after a certain period of time. in cases of mild or asymptomatic disease, even if the virus is still detected in tests.
“It was already known that this was probably due to viral particles that remained in his upper respiratory tract, but that these viral particles were not capable of infecting other people,” he explained, highlighting that this happens from the eighth to the tenth day. .
Rafael Marchante
And the seriously ill?
According to the same DGS standard, cases of severe or critical illness having to stay in isolation for 20 days from the start of symptoms, the same time established for patients who have severe immunosuppression, regardless of the severity of the disease.
The DGS also highlights that in the case of healthcare professionals or close proximity care providers, patients who will be admitted to residences or palliative or long-term care units or patients who will be transferred in hospital units to non-dedicated areas you will always need a negative test for the isolation to be considered complete.
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