Covid-19 home isolation in Noida only after clinical assessment, separate help desk soon

With the Uttar Pradesh government allowing asymptomatic Covid-19 positive patients to remain in home isolation, the district administration said it is setting up

With the Uttar Pradesh government allowing asymptomatic Covid-19 positive patients to remain in home isolation, the district administration said it is setting up a separate home isolation desk to identify such patients.

HT Image

The separate desk, for which officials are being deputed, will assist and guide asymptomatic patients on home isolation do’s and don’ts, as well as provide them regular consultations, including the schedule for retaking the Covid-19 test.

The state government on Monday allowed home isolation of asymptomatic patients, while earlier any positive patient had to get admitted to government hospitals, paid private Covid hospitals or remain at paid facilities in hotels.

One of the major Covid-19 affected district in the state, Gautam Budh Nagar has 979 active cases as on Tuesday, while 3,274 patients have been discharged and 40 had died. The city has over 3,000 beds facility in different designated Covid-19 hospitals

However, officials said they will not be taking any risks, and that a rigorous assessment of patients will be done before a call is taken on allowing them to remain in home isolation.

Health officials also said unlike the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)’s guidelines, which allows even mildly symptomatic patients to isolate at home, only asymptomatic patients shall be allowed in to remain in home isolation in Noida – as per the state government orders -- and that too after rigorous clinical assessments.

“We are implementing a new model, taking into account all risk factors and each individual’s health. We are setting up a separate home isolation desk at out integrated command and control centre. A team of nine officials will man the desk. We are also exploring technological solutions to help qualifying patients. We have received several ideas on this, and will look into all of them,” said Suhas LY, district magistrate, Gautam Budh Nagar.

Now, there will be two types of Covid-19 monitoring in the city, to be done by two different teams. While the first team will continue monitoring containment zones, the second will focus on home quarantined patients.

Currently, the district administration is brainstorming the clinical evolution of patients in a bid to ratify the eligibility of those who turn Covid-19 positive.

“We are brainstorming to get the right model on deling with patients. What’s most important here is that we need to assess the symptoms, we need to understand the risk factors involved and then take a call. That means after a person tests positive, a thorough clinical assessment will be done by doctors, who will consider all symptoms and risk factors before deciding on whether that person is eligible for home quarantine,” Suhas said.