Health Ministry Issues Fresh Guidelines For Pre-Symptomatic Covid-19 Cases In Home Isolation; Check Details Here

Revised guideline for home isolation of very mild/pre-symptomatic COVID-19 case has been released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. According to the regulations, no tests will be needed after the home isolation period is over.

The revised guidelines say that once the isolation period has come to an end, a COVID test will be not needed. (File Photo/ Getty)

New Delhi: The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has released a revised guideline for home isolation of very mild/pre-symptomatic COVID-19 case. As per the new guidelines, there will be no need for testing after the home isolation period is over. The regulations for home isolation will apply to those very mild/pre-symptomatic patients who have the ‘requisite facility at his/her residence for self-isolation and for quarantining the family contacts’. For home isolation, the patient will first be diagnosed by a medical officer as a mild case/ pre-symptomatic case. It also requires that a caregiver be present on 24 x7 basis. A communication link between the caregiver and hospital is a prerequisite for the entire duration of home isolation. The guidelines also say that the caregiver and all close contacts should take Hydroxychloroquine prophylaxis. Once home isolation begins and the patient does not develop any more severe symptoms such as difficulty in breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, Mental confusion or bluish discoloration of lips/face, then after 17 days of onset of symptoms and no fever for 10 days, home isolation can come to an end. The revised guidelines say that once the isolation period has come to an end, a COVID test will be not needed. Additionally, the patient must download Arogya Setu App on mobile and ensure that it always stays active. The patient will also have to fill an undertaking on self-isolation (Annexure I). The caregiver and the patient will also have to follow other regulations on home-quarantine which is given in Annexure-II. This includes detailed instructions regarding hand-hygiene and other precautions for the caregiver such as the type of masks that need to be used and ways to reduce exposure to the patient.