7-day quarantine for health workers now

The nodal officer or head of the department will form a sub-committee to assess the level of exposure and the risk, as per the assessment format issued by the health ministry.

Modifying the quarantine norms for health care workers attending to Covid-19 cases, the Union health ministry on Thursday said any worker who had a high-risk exposure to a Covid-19 patient, without adequate protection, would need to quarantine herself for just a week.

Health workers conducting COVID-19 coronavirus testing drive inside Dharavi Slum. (Satyabrata Tripathy/HT Photo)

Earlier, the quarantine period was 14 days.

The nodal officer or head of the department will form a sub-committee to assess the level of exposure and the risk, as per the assessment format issued by the health ministry.

After a week, the worker shall be tested for Covid-19, actively monitored for development of symptoms and managed as per the laid down protocol. “If they test positive but remain asymptomatic they will follow protocol for very mild/mild/presymptomatic cases… If they test negative and remain asymptomatic, complete 14 day quarantine and return to work. Should symptoms develop, person will be isolated,” the advisory says.

“Those who test negative, will be managed in non-Covid areas as per their clinical diagnosis. Their resuming work will be based on the clinical diagnosis and the medical certification by the treating doctor.” The step was taken in view of the shortage of health care workers at many hospitals.