Self Quarantine

As per the guidelines, the patients who are clinically assigned to be mild /asymptomatic are recommended for home isolation. The asymptomatic cases are laboratory confirmed cases not experiencing any symptoms and having oxygen saturation at room air of more than 94%. Clinically assigned mild cases are patients with upper respiratory tract symptoms (&/or fever) without shortness of breath and having oxygen saturation at room air of more than 94%. Home quarantine means the time when a patient, who tests positive isolates himself/herself at home following all precautions and protocols suggested by medical authorities. Those with mild and moderate symptoms are usually advised to follow home quarantine. Having a self-isolation facility and caregiver support is crucial to a good recovery.

Self-isolation at home has been recommended for those diagnosed with COVID-19 and those who suspect they have been infected. Health agencies have issued detailed instructions for proper self-isolation. Many governments have mandated or recommended self-quarantine for entire populations. The strongest self-quarantine instructions have been issued to those in high-risk groups. Those who may have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 and those who have recently travelled to a country or region with the widespread transmission have been advised to self-quarantine. A home quarantine period for a coronavirus patient can be brought to an end if at least 14-17 days have passed post the onset of symptoms.Those who have an asymptomatic infection can end their quarantine 10 days after first testing positive for the virus. Talking to your treating physician or doctor can also help you decide on the right time of ending isolation.

The home quarantined person should: Stay in a well-ventilated single-room preferably with an attached/separate toilet. If another family member needs to stay in the same room, it’s advisable to maintain a distance of at least 1 meter between the two. The person undergoing quarantine:

Needs to stay away from elderly people, pregnant women, children and persons with co-morbidities within the household.
Restrict his/her movement within the house.
Under no circumstances attend any social/religious gathering e.g. wedding, condolences, etc.
Wash hand as often thoroughly with soap and water or with alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
Avoid sharing household items e.g. dishes, drinking glasses, cups, eating utensils,towels, bedding, or other items with other people at home.
Wear a surgical mask at all the time. The mask should be changed every 6-8 hours and disposed off.Disposable masks are never to be reused.
Masks used by patients / care givers/ close contacts during home care should be disinfected using ordinary bleach solution (5%) or sodium hypochlorite solution (1%) and then disposed of either by burning or deep burial.
Used mask should be considered as potentially infected.
If symptoms appear (cough/fever/difficulty in breathing), he/she should immediately inform the nearest health centre or call 011-23978046.

Instructions for the family members of persons being home quarantined:

Only an assigned family member should be tasked with taking care of the such person.
Avoid shaking the soiled linen or direct contact with skin.
Use disposable gloves when cleaning the surfaces or handling soiled linen.
Wash hands after removing gloves.
Visitors should not be allowed.
In case the person being quarantined becomes symptomatic, all his close contacts will be home quarantined (for 14 days) and followed up for an additional 14 days or till the report of such case turns out negative on lab testing

Environmental sanitation:

Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces in the quarantined person’s room (e.g.bed frames, tables etc.) daily with 1% Sodium Hypochlorite Solution.
Clean and disinfect toilet surfaces daily with regular household bleach solution/phenolic disinfectants.
Clean the clothes and other linen used by the person separately using common household detergent and dry.