Home isolation: Ghaziabad forms rapid response teams to assess patients

The Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday directed for the formation of rapid response teams in districts to assess the status of asymptomatic Covid-19-positive

The Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday directed for the formation of rapid response teams in districts to assess the status of asymptomatic Covid-19-positive patients who opt for home isolation. The state, in an order on July 20, had allowed home isolation for asymptomatic Covid-19 patients and on July 21, rolled out a new discharge policy for different categories of Covid patients.

HT Image

“We have asked districts to form rapid response teams which will consist of doctors who will visit the homes of patients to assess their health status and permit home isolation. The team will also get an undertaking signed from the patient and a copy of directions to be followed will be given to them. The patients must keep themselves in complete isolation from other family members,” said Amit Mohan Prasad, UP’s additional chief secretary (health).

The state government has also rolled out a new number – 1800 1805 146 – meant especially for patients opting for home isolation. Officials said that such patients can call up and seek advice from doctors over the phone on this number.

In compliance with the government’s directions, Ghaziabad officials have formed nine teams, consisting of doctors and pharmacists/staff nurses.

“The role of this team is to visit the homes of patients and assess their health status. The teams will also meet the patient’s family members and will also take up contact tracing. Besides, they will also put up stickers at the homes of the patients in case the patient is allowed home isolation. In case there are family members in the house who have co-morbid conditions, home isolation will not be allowed as the patient may pass on the infection which could affect others severely,” said Ajay Shankar Pandey, district magistrate.

The administration has also roped in six static teams who will be stationed at the district control room and will be in touch with patients under home isolation.

“The teams will be in touch with the patients over the phone three times in a day and will seek details of patients’ oxygen level, temperature, etc. If the teams observe any complication, the patient will be shifted to a Covid facility. Meanwhile, our surveillance teams will visit the patient’s house upon getting information, and will take up testing of the patient’s family members through rapid antigen kits. We have also decided that home isolation will be allowed only for new patients while those already admitted to Covid facilities will be discharged after they complete their duration of stay,” Pandey added.

Till now, anyone, with or without symptoms, who has tested positive for the coronavirus disease was not allowed to stay in home isolation and needed to get admitted to government’s L1 (for asymptomatic cases), L2 (for cases with mild symptoms) or L3 (for critical cases) category hospitals, paid private Covid hospitals or paid isolation facilities in hotels.

The new directions now allow asymptomatic patients to remain in home isolation with certain conditions – an undertaking promising compliance with all norms needs to be submitted by the patient; a consulting doctor to declare the patient asymptomatic; patient to ensure round-the-clock availability of a caregiver; minimum two toilets at home and separate isolation room at home. Patients will also have to purchase medical kits equipped with pulse oximeter, thermometer, mask, gloves, among others.

In their revised guidelines issued on Tuesday night, the UP government said that asymptomatic patients in home isolation will be considered as recovered if they do not show any symptoms for 10 days.

“Such patients will be shown as recovered on the UP portal and will further have to remain in home isolation for eight more days. In case they show any symptoms, they will be referred to the appropriate Covid facility,” the government order said.

The district magistrate added that he has also directed officials to insert one more clause to the ‘action plan’ being formulated for patients in home isolation.

“The concept is called ‘friendly watcher’. Under this, we will assign people in two neighbouring houses and one house in front of the patient’s house to keep track of movement of the patient as well in case their condition deteriorates. The owners/residents of the three houses will also be given our control room number where they can provide us information,” Pandey added.

The officer said that the action plan will be rolled out on Thursday.

The officials of the Ghaziabad health department said that multi-layered teams have been assigned the task of monitoring home isolation patients as there is risk involved.

“We will be strictly monitoring the patient but it is also vital that a patient and his family provides us with genuine information and not hide details which could be vital for health,” said an officer from the health department, who asked not to be identified.