Bengaluru: Karnataka’s Health and family welfare department has issued new guidelines on the treatment of COVID19 +ve patients. According to these guidelines, patients who are asymptomatic or have a mild case of coronavirus, aged below 50 years, and having oxygen saturation equal or above 95 percent shall be considered for home isolation, as per new guidelines issued by Karnataka’s Health and Family Welfare department.
The patient shall report every day to the physician or health authorities and shall have pulse oximeter, digital thermometer, and PPE.
A caregiver should be available 24/7, with regular communication links between caregiver and hospital. An e-tag band shall be put on the left wrist to alert authorities of violation of home isolation.
The health staff shall assess health factors using thermal scanning for fever, pulse oximetry for oxygen saturation levels, glucometer for random blood sugar, and BP apparatus for blood pressure recording.
Those under home quarantine shall not have comorbid conditions such as kidney disease requiring dialysis, heart disease, stroke, tuberculosis, cancer, HIV, should not be immune-compromised, on steroids, or immune-suppressants.
The patients must have a separate well-ventilated room for isolation with an attached toilet.
The caregivers must also wear N95 masks when in the same room with the ill person. Utensils used by the patient shall be cleaned while wearing gloves.
Home isolation will go on for 17 days after onset of symptoms, or date of sampling and no fever for 10 days.
They can be released once there are no symptoms, fever, maintains saturation above 95 percent and respiratory rate less than 24 per minute.
The health team from district health authority or BBMP shall visit the house and assess suitability for home isolation, with teleconsultation link established.
