Follow Guidelines for Effective Home Isolation: Center to States

The Health and Family Welfare Ministry, Government ofIndia has requested the state governments to ensure strict implementation ofthe guidelines on home isolation at the field level to effectively curb thespread of COVID-19 pandemic.

The health ministry had issued revised guidelinesregarding home isolation on May 10 and the guidelines continue to be effectiveas on date, the statement read.

As per the Ministry guidelines, very mild and pre-symptomatic Covid-19 patients can opt for home isolation provided the patient has a room to himself/herself with a toilet facility and has an adult attendant /caregiver. Also, the patient shall agree to monitor his health and regularly inform the health status to the District Surveillance Officer for further follow up by the surveillance teams.

"An important clause of the Revised Guidelines is that the treating doctor is satisfied with the patient opting for home isolation based on medical assessment and assessment of his/her residential accommodation. In addition, the patient shall fill in an undertaking on self-isolation and shall follow home quarantine guidelines," the statement read.

Also, all such cases of home isolation further shallbe monitored by teams of well-oriented doctors on a regular basis, theirdischarge should follow the required guidelines and shall be reported as pernorms.

Inthis regard, the statement said that some instances have been noticed whereinhome isolation is allowed in a routine manner in certain States, and clauses ofthe revised guidelines are not followed in letter and spirit.

"This may lead to the spread of the disease within the family members and neighbours, more so in urban settings such as dense urban agglomerations," the statement read.