COVID-19: BMC Issues SOP For Home Isolation Of Asymptomatic & Mild Symptomatic Cases

Bhubaneswar: Amidst the rising cases of COVID-19 cases in the smart city, the officials of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) have issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for management of home isolation of asymptomatic and mild symptomatic cases.

COVID-19 positive patients from non-slum areas, who are asymptomatic or have mild to mild symptoms, can be permitted for home isolation if they have adequate facility at their own house, as per a release issued by BMC. However, the following category of persons will not be allowed for home isolation even if they are asymptomatic or mild symptomatic.

1. COVID positive cases suffering from immune compromised status like HIV, Transplant recipients, Cancer therapy.

2. Elderly persons more than 60 years of age with co-morbid conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, chronic lung/liver/kidney disease, cerebro-vascular disease shall only be allowed for home-isolation after proper evaluation by treating doctor.

Patients Eligible for Home Isolation

1. The patient must have adequate facility at his residence for self isolation and also for quarantining all other family members.

2. The patient must be clinically assigned as asymptomatic/mild/very mild case for COVID-19 by the treating doctor.

3. A caregiver should be available for the patient to take care 24x7 basis. A communication link between the caregiver and the designated COVID-19 hospital is also a prerequisite for allowing home Isolation. The caregiver and the family members should take chemo-prophylaxis (Hydroxychloroquine) as per protocol after prescription from a medical practitioner.

4. The patient must allow monitoring of his health and also regularly inform his health status to BMC for further follow up of the case.

5. The patient needs to give an undertaking in a prescribed format for self-isolation as per Annexure-I and also follow isolation guidelines strictly.

Procedure for Home Isolation

After a person is diagnosed as COVID-19 positive during contact tracing he/she will be asked about current health condition and will also be asked whether they will go for home isolation. After consent for home isolation, the nodal officer home isolation management will send the zonal level RRT for verification of the house and health condition of the patient.

Since the RRT team is headed by an Ayush doctor, the doctor will assess the current health condition and will suggest if the case can be considered for home isolation or not. The RRT team shall also assess the home condition to check the adequateness of the house for home isolation of the positive case.

Once the RRT team is satisfied with the health condition and adequateness of the house, he will intimate the nodal officer about it and obtain the undertaking in the prescribed format from the patient and the caregiver of the patient.

The RRT team shall also handover the prescribed instructions to be followed by the patient and the caregiver for home-isolation for strict adherence.

Along with the person on home isolation, all other members will also have to be kept under quarantine. The nodal officer will then submit the data to the quarantine monitoring call centre (1929) for regular follow up on the health condition of the patient. The patient's home isolation will be over as per the discharge policy of Health & Family Welfare Department.

In case the patient develops serious symptoms during his home isolation, the caregiver should immediately inform 1929 and BMC medical nodal officer & ADUPHO. Bhubaneswar(Mob: 9937549932) for intervention and shifting to Covid Care Centre or dedicated COVID hospital.

(Edited By Pradeep Singh)

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