The Central government on Saturday changed its policy on discharge of COVID-19 patients from care facilities, and only “severe” cases will now be tested before they are discharged.
The new rules come into effect as India braces for a jump in Coronavirus cases, with mathematical modeling showing the peak of infections may come in June-July.
As per the new policy, very mild or mild and moderate patients can be discharged without COVID-19 test, subject to clinical conditions.
Until now, patients were discharged only if two of their specimens tested negative for Coronavirus in RT-PCR swab tests after a gap of 24 hours.
According to the revised policy, mild/very mild/pre-symptomatic cases admitted to a COVID care facility “will undergo temperature and pulse oximetry monitoring.” The patient “can be discharged after 10 days of symptom onset and no fever for three days”. There will be no need for testing prior to discharge. At the time of discharge, the patient will be advised to follow home isolation for seven days.
However, after discharge, if the person develops symptoms of fever, cough or breathing difficulty, he/she has been advised to contact the COVID care centre on state helpline.
The revised policy further said that patients admitted to COVID-19 health centres, whose symptoms resolve within three days and who maintain oxygen saturation above 95 per cent for the next four days, will be clinically classified as “moderate cases”.
They will undergo monitoring of body temperature and oxygen saturation. If the fever resolves within three days and the patient maintains “saturation above 95% for the next four days, without oxygen support”, they will be discharged after 10 days of symptom onset in case of – absence of “fever without antipyretics, resolution of breathlessness and no oxygen requirement,” the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare guidelines said.
The MoHFW added that there will be no need for testing prior to discharge in such cases as well.
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India on Saturday morning recorded 3,320 new cases of Coronavirus and 95 fatalities in the last 24 hours taking the total number of infections to 59,662 and 1,981 deaths.
Of the total number, there are 39,834 active cases while 17,846 patients have been cured of the deadly infection.
The Government has said that India’s recovery rate against COVID-19 coronavirus currently stands 29.36 per cent.
The health ministry has further stated that “If we will follow the required do’s and don’ts, we may not achieve the peak in Coronavirus cases.” “There is always a possibility to witness spike in cases if we do not take the required precautions and follow processes,” Health Ministry, Joint Secretary, Lav Agarwal said on Friday.