Delhi issues home isolation SOP; aims at 'best medical attention' to all COVID patients

Days after Delhi L-G rolled back 5-day mandatory institutional quarantine order, Delhi Health Department on Monday night has issued an SOP specifying the condition for home isolation. The statement said that the SOP is being issued to ensure best medical attention to all COVID-19 patients in the national capital. Total number of cases in Delhi on Monday reached over 62,000. 

“The new SOPs have been issued to ensure that everyone who qualifies for home isolation gets the best medical attention and anyone who doesn’t have facilities to do the same, gets moved to Covid care centres. Even if the patients are asymptomatic, we want to ensure they get regular medical attention and all the assistance they need,” said a statement.

As per the new SOP, people who test COVID-19 positive by the rapid antigen method will be examined by a medical officer at the testing site to assess the severity of the illness. It also said the assessment made by the medical officer shall “effectively constitute as the assessment made at the COVID-care centre". The SOP further states that in the case of those who have tested positive in RT-PCR tests, a team of district surveillance officers will contact these patients on telephone to assess the category of illness.

Furthermore, it says that for cases that need to be shifted to hospitals or COVID healthcare centres, the transfer will be made by ambulances, it said. For effective contact tracing, a dedicated team of callers will record details of the people who were in contact with COVID-19 positive cases since the onset of symptoms.

What is in the order?

• According to the order, all individuals who are positive will be referred to COVID care centres for assessment of clinical conditions, severity of illness and presence of co-morbidities.
• Simultaneously, physical assessment will also be done whether adequate facilities for home isolation like minimum of two rooms and a separate toilet exists so that family members and neighbours are protected, and a cluster of cases does not develop in that locality, the order said.
• As per guidelines, pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic patients, unless they have co-morbid conditions, can be placed under home isolation if they have residence of two rooms with a separate toilet for the patient.
• The patient will also be provided with a pulse oximeter by the medical officer at the testing centre. The use of the oximeter and other protocols for home isolation will be explained by the medical officer.
• It added that patients in home isolation will be discharged from treatment as per the discharge policy of the Union Health Ministry which mandates discharge from home isolation after 10 days.
• In case of the RT-PCR test, a team of district surveillance officers will contact patients on telephone to assess the category of illness, it said. The patient will be provided a contact number for any consultation required by him or her along with the details of the CATS ambulance number for transfer to hospital in case symptoms develop.
• In case his residence is not found fit for home isolation, the patient will be admitted to COVID care centre for isolation as per the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare guidelines.

Delhi's COVID-19 count

Delhi recorded 2,909 fresh coronavirus cases on Monday, taking the tally in the city over the 62,000-mark, while the death toll from the disease climbed to 2,233, authorities said. Fifty-eight fatalities have been recorded in the last 24 hours. The death toll from the coronavirus infection has risen to 2,233, and the total number of cases has mounted to 62,655.

Meanwhile, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain was on Monday shifted out of the ICU of Max hospital here, two days after he was administered plasma therapy, sources said. The minister had tested positive for the disease on June 17.

(with PTI inputs)