Who Is Eligible For Home Isolation?
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With around Lakhs of people suffering from the deadly coronavirus pandemic and being hospitalized under risky circumstances, the government has issued home isolation guidelines for patients at a lower risk. This way the treatment can be made available for patients with chronic conditions and ones with mild symptoms can be saved from exposure to this contagious threat.
These guidelines and protocols are to be followed if suggested by a healthcare professional, based on a specified medical criterion. Therefore, it is the doctor’s call to isolate the patients or keep them in the hospital under surveillance.
Who Is Eligible To Be Home Isolated In COVID-19?
Patients with mild or asymptomatic COVID-19 disease, are recommended to stay home isolated for the period specified by the doctor based on the severity of their condition.
Patients with little to no symptoms of COVID-19 have oxygen saturation levels higher than 94% and hence, they do not require humidifiers and ICU treatments.
Let us see who are eligible to stay at home for isolation during coronavirus disease:
- Clinically tested mild/moderate or asymptomatic patients are allowed to stay at home during the coronavirus spread.
- In such cases, the family members are supposed to be home quarantined and should have requisite facilities for the patient.
- A caregiver has to be present with the patient 24X7 and he/she is asked to maintain regular contact with the hospital authorities for teleconsultation.
- Elderly patients of age 60 or above with pre-existing ailments like hypertension, diabetes, kidney disorder, etc., can stay in home isolation after going through a standard medical procedure, and reporting no severities. However, their blood sugar levels are to be regularly monitored, and caregivers must avoid any sort of negligence towards such patients.
- The close contacts of such patients should take Hydroxychloroquine prophylaxis, which reduces the chances of contracting the disease from the patient, by 80%.
Instructions To Be Followed By The Home Isolating Patients During COVID-19
A strict regime has to be maintained by the home quarantining patients of coronavirus, as any irresponsibility can have a dreadful impact on them as well as their family members. Therefore, some regulatory measures that the patients at home can follow are:
- Patients must isolate themselves from the other family members, especially elderly members and the ones who have conditions like hypertension, lung or kidney disorder, etc.
- Patients should be quarantined in a properly ventilated room, to allow the passage of fresh air.
- In case of leaving their room, in rare situations, they must use triple layer masks, and gloves with sanitized hands.
- Consume a lot of fluids like water, juices, or smoothies. The maintenance of hydration levels is a must.
- Use alcohol-based sanitizers, or wash your hands frequently.
- Do not share personal items with other members.
- Monitor your blood sugar levels and oxygen saturation levels.
- Keep a regular track of your body temperature.
Instructions For The Caregivers of Home Isolated COVID-19 Patients
The patients who are home isolated while suffering from coronavirus disease are to be assisted by one of the family members as their caregiver. For the protection of the caregiver, certain rules are to be followed, like:
- Always wear a mask when getting closer to the patient. Avoid any sort of direct contact with the patient.
- Always wash your hand with soap and apply some alcohol-based sanitizer, soon after coming out of the patient’s environment.
- Effective disposal of the waste from the patient’s surroundings has to be done, to avoid the spread of the virus any further.
Warning Signs For Patients Under Home Isolation In COVID-19
If there are situations where the patient’s condition worsens, then immediate medical attention must be provided to the patient. Let us see the conditions, under which the patient needs to be rushed to the hospital:
- Oxygen saturation level below 95%
- Breathlessness
- High fever
- Chest pain
- Severe cough
- Major fluctuations in blood sugar levels.
Conclusion
If a patient in your house is under home isolation, then you must make sure that proper medical aid and support are provided to the patient. Make sure that you too are home quarantined and avoid any mass gatherings like functions, ceremonies, etc.
In case of changes in the health of the patient, the caregiver can contact the healthcare professionals through teleconsultation or in person. Refrain from consuming any medicine that is not prescribed by the doctor.
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Disclaimer: This article is issued in the general public interest and meant for general information purposes only. Readers are advised not to rely on the contents of the article as conclusive in nature and should research further or consult an expert in this regard.
