AIZAWL | Sept 16, 2020: Mizoram government has come up with guidelines allowing asymptomatic people to be under home isolation given the shortage of hospitals to treat the infected people in the state.
The guidelines issued stated that COVID patients showing no symptoms and with mild or very mild symptoms will be allowed to stay in home isolation under strict monitoring by the health officials.
The decision came in the wake of the surge in COVID-19 cases to ease the shortage of COVID Care Centres, as the state has only one dedicated COVID hospital- Zoram Medical College (ZMC).
The government till now has set up 35 makeshift COVID-19 Care Centres, which can accommodate about 1,700 patients.
Mizoram on Tuesday reported 40 new cases, taking the states coronavirus caseload to 1,468.
Health secretary H. Lalengmawia was among the new patients, according to health officials. Lalengmawia told reporters that he was asymptomatic and has no complaint of any health issue.
Here are the guidelines you need to know:
- Person, who are allowed home isolation should be clinically assigned as a very mild or pre-symptomatic or asymptomatic case by the treating medical officer.
- Persons suffering from immunocompromised status such as HIV, transplant recipients, cancer therapy are not eligible for home isolation.
- Elderly patients aged above 60 years and those with comorbid conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, chronic lung/liver/kidney disease among others will only be allowed home isolation after proper evaluation by a registered doctor or medical practitioner.
- Persons seeking for home isolation should have the requisite facilities at their residences like isolated room and bathroom to avoid contact with other family members and should also get permission from village or local level task force of their village or locality.
- Caregiver should be available to provide care on 24×7 basis and the patients will be monitored by the health department while seeking immediate medical attention in case the patient develops serious signs or symptoms such as difficulty in breathing, dip in oxygen saturation ((SpO2 < 95%), persistent pain/pressure in the chest, mental confusion or inability to arouse, Slurred speech/seizures, weakness or numbness in any limb or face and developing bluish discolourations of lips or face among others.