Asymptomatic COVID-19 patients in the State can now opt for home isolation and care, provided they satisfy the clinical criteria and if they have adequate facilities for home isolation as stipulated by authorities.
The Health Department, in issuing the guidelines for home isolation and care of asymptomatic COVID-19 patients, has made it clear that robust support systems should be in place in districts before patients can be permitted to opt for home care. The plan for home care of asymptomatic patients will be initiated when the bed occupancy in COVID first-line treatment centre (FLTCs) reaches 70%. However, the decision as to when the standard operating procedures for the home-based management of asymptomatic patients should be initiated will be the discretion of the district administration.
The district administration should ensure that all FLTCs planned in phases are in place, the call centre and telemedicine facility in the districts are fully functional and transportation availability is available in a decentralised manner. The guidelines say that even if the patient is asymptomatic, he/she should not have any major co-morbidities/uncontrolled co-morbidities nor should he/she have any vulnerable conditions such as pregnancy or immunocompromised state.
Importantly, the patient should be found psychologically fit and should be willing for home isolation. The clinical criteria will be assessed by a doctor. The authorities should properly assess if the home isolation facilities at the patient’s home is adequate and per the fixed criteria.
The guidelines advise that any vulnerable persons in the patient’s family should be moved to a separate residential facility and that there should be one healthy individual available as the patient’s care giver.
