Delhi revises home isolation guidelines to include asymptomatic patients

The guidelines also state that the city’s districts have to ensure that every Covid-19 patient who is under home isolation receives a pulse-oximeter.

The Delhi government on Friday revised its guidelines to allow asymptomatic coronavirus disease (Covd-19) patients to remain in home isolation in line with the union health ministry revised guidelines a day ago. “In supersession to the guidelines issued earlier on home isolation of very mild/ per-symptomatic Covid-19 cases, revised guidelines for home isolation of very mild/ pre-symptomatic/ asymptomatic Covid-19 cases, is enclosed,” read the order from Delhi’s Director General of Health Services Dr Nutan Mundeja.

The revised Delhi guidelines also mention that mechanisms will have to be put in place to shift anyone who needs hospital-based treatment or violates isolation. (Sakib Ali/HT file photo)

The guidelines also state that the city’s districts have to ensure that every Covid-19 patient who is under home isolation receives a pulse-oximeter. “The records pertaining to the indent and distribution of pulse-oximeter is to be maintained by each and every district. The same is to be shared with the concerned authorities on a daily basis,” the order read.

The guidelines specify that immunocompromised patients – such as persons with HIV, those who have undergone a transplant, or are receiving cancer therapy – will not be eligible for home isolation. People over the age of 60 and those with co-morbid conditions like diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, chronic lung, kidney and liver disease will also not be eligible.

The revised Delhi guidelines also mention that mechanisms will have to be put in place to shift anyone who needs hospital-based treatment or violates isolation.

The union health ministry guidelines from a day ago read, “In view of large number of asymptomatic cases being detected, the current guidelines have been extended to asymptomatic positive cases also besides very mild and pre-symptomatic cases.”