The COVID-19 pandemic has hit 8,767,991 people and claimed the lives of 462,715 people across the world. In India, the total number of COVID-19 infected cases has risen to 3,96,182 and caused 12,970 deaths so far as per sources. As the coronavirus continues to spread its tentacles far and wide and fast, people in all countries are struggling to combat the pandemic that has hit all areas of human life. The pandemic continues to pose a tough challenge to all. In view of it, the Health and Family Welfare Ministry has requested all states and union territoris in the country to ensure strict implementation of the guidelines on Home Isolation at the field level to effectively curb the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.
The ministry had issued revised guidelines regarding Home Isolation on May 10. Following reports of some instances in states where the rules are broken, the ministry on Friday reiterated the guidelines for Home Isolation mentioned below:
1. Very mild and pre-symptomatic COVID-19 patients can opt for home isolation provided the patient has a room to himself or herself with toilet facility and has an adult attendant and caregiver.
2. The patient shall agree to monitor his or her health and regularly inform the health status to the District Surveillance Officer for further follow up by the surveillance teams.
3. An important clause of the Revised Guidelines is that the treating doctor is satisfied about the patient opting for home isolation based on medical assessment and assessment of his or her residential accommodation.
4. The patient shall fill in an undertaking on self-isolation and shall follow home quarantine guidelines.
5. All such cases of home isolation further shall be monitored by teams of well-oriented doctors on a regular basis, their discharge should follow the required guidelines and shall be reported as per norms.
The Revised Guidelines on Home Isolation is being reiterated as some instances have been noticed wherein home isolation is allowed in a routine manner in certain states, and clauses of the Revised Guidelines are not followed in letter and spirit, the ministry stated in a release.
Failure to strictly follow the guidelines may lead to the spread of the disease within the family members and neighbors, more so in urban settings such as dense urban agglomerations.
In this regard, the Health and Family Welfare Ministry has firmly requested the states to ensure strict implementation of the guidelines on Home Isolation at the field level to effectively curb the spread of COVID-19.
