Amid a surge in Covid-19 cases, the Centre on Wednesday released revised guidelines for home isolation of mild/asymptomatic Covid-19 cases.
According to the new guidelines, issued by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, a patient under home isolation will stand discharged after 7 days from testing positive.
“Patient under home isolation will stand discharged and end isolation after at least 7 days have passed from testing positive and no fever for 3 successive days and they shall continue wearing masks. There is no need for re-testing after the home isolation period is over,” said the guidelines.
“Asymptomatic contacts of infected individuals need not undergo Covid test & monitor health in-home quarantine,” the guidelines said.
Issuing the revised guidelines, the ministry said, “Over the past two years, it has been seen globally as well as in India that the majority of cases of Covid-19 are either asymptomatic or have very mild symptoms. Such cases usually recover with minimal interventions and accordingly may be managed at home under proper medical guidance and monitoring.”
The guidelines have defined the asymptomatic cases as “laboratory confirmed cases who are not experiencing any symptoms and have oxygen saturation at room air of more than 93 per cent.”
“Clinically assigned mild cases” are defined as “patients with upper respiratory tract symptoms with or without fever, without shortness of breath and having oxygen saturation at room air of more than 93%.”
As per the new guidelines, the patient assigned as “mild/ asymptomatic case” by the treating Medical Officer, will be “eligible” for home isolation.
“The patient should be clinically assigned as mild/ asymptomatic case by the treating Medical Officer. Further a designated control room contact number at the district /sub district level shall be provided to the family to get suitable guidance for undertaking testing, clinical management related guidance, assignment of a hospital bed, if warranted,” said the guidelines.
Under the new guidelines, patients are required to maintain a self-health monitoring chart which should included details like date and time; temperature; heart rate (from pulse oximeter); SpO2% (from pulse oximeter); feeling: (better/same/worse); and breathing (better/same/worse).
According to the guidelines, the district administration should monitor all cases under home isolation on a daily basis.
According to the Health Ministry, India reported 58,097 new cases of Covid-19 on Tuesday, taking the country’s active caseload to 2,14,004.
