Health Ministry issues revised guidelines for home isolation

Union Health Ministry has issued revised guidelines for Home isolation of mild and asymptomatic COVID-19 cases. As per the guidelines, the patients who are clinically assigned to be mild or asymptomatic are recommended for home isolation. As per the guidelines, for home isolation, the patient should be clinically assigned as mild or asymptomatic case by the treating Medical officer and such cases should have the requisite facility at their residence for self-isolation and for quarantining the family contacts. 
It says, a care giver should be available to provide care and a communication link between the caregiver and hospital is a prerequisite for the entire duration of home isolation. It also said that elderly patients aged more than 60 years and those with co-morbid conditions shall only be allowed home isolation after proper evaluation by the treating medical officer. It said, patients suffering from immune compromised status like HIV, Transplant recipients and Cancer therapy are not recommended for home isolation and shall only be allowed home isolation after proper evaluation by the treating medical officer. 
According to the revised guidelines, the Health Ministry has said that patient must isolate himself from other household members, stay in the identified room and away from other people in home, especially elderlies and those with co-morbid conditions. The patient should be kept in a well-ventilated room with cross ventilation. Patient should at all times use triple layer medical mask. The patient has been advised self-monitoring of blood oxygen saturation and health and must be in communication with a treating physician and promptly report in case of any deterioration. 
The decision to administer Remdesivir or any other investigational therapy must be taken by a medical professional and administered only in a hospital setting and not attempt to procure or administer Remdesivir at home. As per the guidelines, patient under home isolation will stand discharged and end isolation after at least 10 days have passed from onset of symptoms or from date of sampling for asymptomatic cases and no fever for three days. The Ministry said, there is no need for testing after the home isolation period is over.

The has issued protocol for managing children with the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) with separate guidelines for those who are asymptomatic and those with mild, moderate and severe illness. "Majority of children with covid infection may be asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic. Common symptoms include fever, cough, breathlessness or shortness of breath, fatigue, myalgia, rhinorrhea, sore throat, diarrhea, loss of smell, loss of taste etc. Few children may present with gastrointestinal symptoms and atypical symptoms. A new syndrome with name of multi system inflammatory syndrome has been described in children. Such cases are characterized by: unremitting fever > 38oC, epidemiological linkage with SARS CoV-2 and clinical features suggestive of Multi System Inflammatory Syndrome," said the ministry.