Covid positive patients in home isolation

Srinagar, May 8: As higher number of covid positive persons are in home isolation and care, their health condition should be monitored regularly and only vaccinated and healthy persons should attend to them following proper covid protocol like wearing of masks preferably N95 and using hand sanitizers etc said Dr Muzaffar Maqbool, Associate Professor, Medicine, Government Medical College, Srinagar.
“More than 80 percent covid positive patients who are either asymptomatic or with mild symptoms are being treated at home. However, it is imperative to keep watch on SPO2 level which should not fall below 93 percent”, he added. In case, a patient feels difficulty in breathing or there is increase in fever, then patients should be taken to a nearby health institute or triage centre for screening and required treatment. ‘The decrease in oxygen saturation, pain in chest and increase in fever demonstrate that it is the time for hospitalization of a patient’, Dr Muzaffar Maqbool said while elaborating the concept of home care. Hospitalization of such patients at the right time will ensure recovery of the patient and delay in such situations may worsen the condition of the patient. At the same time, he said there is no need to panic but seeking timely medical consultation would help in treatment of patients.
Meanwhile, he advised people that they should not take steroids on their own and persons with mild symptoms do not need to undergo CT scan. They should take healthy and nutritious diet besides keep themselves hydrated and take proper rest.
Patients in home isolation should be kept in a room with attached washroom facility so that there would be less contact with other family members. Only the vaccinated or young and healthy person should assume the role of a caregiver and attendant.
Those patients who are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms and are under home care can end isolation after 10 days only if health condition improves and no severe symptoms develop. However, if the condition deteriorates within five days after a covid positive person is put under home care, the patient needs to be immediately admitted in a hospital for treatment.
Dr Muzaffar Maqbool stated that utensils of the infected should be kept separate, the masks and other items used by them should be disposed properly and should not be thrown in open places. The room has to be sanitized and cleaned later to contain further spread of virus.
During the home isolation period, he said, a person need not panic or get stressed but it is better if they engage themselves in reading books, meditation and other exercises, he concluded.