Pre-symptomatic COVID-19 cases allowed home isolation: Ministry issues new guidelines

Follow us on

The Ministry of Health and Family Affairs (MoHFW) has issued revised guidelines for the home isolation of patients with COVID-19 symptoms. The new guidelines are applicable for patients who have either very mild coronavirus symptoms or are in the pre-symptomatic phase. The Health Ministry has reiterated that those patients who fall into such category and have adequate self-isolation facility at their residence will have the option for home isolation. 

Eligibility for home isolation

• The person should be clinically assigned as a very mild case/ pre-symptomatic case by the treating medical officer.
• Such cases should have the requisite facility at their residence for self-isolation and also for quarantining the family contacts.
• A caregiver should be available to provide care on 24 x7 basis. A communication link between the caregiver and hospital is a prerequisite for the entire duration of home isolation.
• The caregiver and all close contacts of such cases should take Hydroxychloroquine prophylaxis as per protocol and as prescribed by the treating medical officer.
• Download Arogya Setu App on mobile and it should remain active at all times (through Bluetooth and Wi-Fi)
• The patient shall agree to monitor his health and regularly inform his health status to the District Surveillance Officer for further follow up by the surveillance teams.
• The patient will fill in an undertaking on self-isolation and shall follow home quarantine guidelines. Such individuals shall be eligible for home isolation.
• In addition to the guidelines on home-quarantine, the required instructions for the caregiver and the patient as in shall be also followed. 

 When to seek medical attention

Patients / Caregivers will keep monitoring their health. Immediate medical attention must be sought if serious signs or symptoms develop. These could include

• Difficulty in breathing,
• Persistent pain/pressure in the chest,
• Mental confusion or inability to arouse,
• Developing bluish discolorations of lips/face and
• As advised by treating medical officer 

When to discontinue home isolation?

Patients under home isolation will end home isolation after 17 days of onset of symptoms (or date of sampling, for pre-symptomatic cases) and no fever for 10 days. There is no need for testing after the home isolation period is over.

The following undertaking on self-isolation needs to be signed by the patient concerned. 

for full details on the new guidelines.