The revised discharge policy for Covid-19 issued by the Health Department has caused a lot of worry among people, especially recovered patients and their family members.
According to the new discharged policy, persons who are mild or pre-symptomatic of Covid-19 should be discharged from corona care centres after ten days of symptom onset and after they showed no fever for three days.
Similarly, for moderate Covid-19 patients, they can be discharged from corona care centres after ten days of symptom onset. In these two cases, no RT-PCR test is required before discharge. The patients have to be isolated at home for seven days after discharge.
However, for severe case, the patients can be discharged only after clinical recovery and also after they tested negative in RT-PCR test.
Speaking to this reporter over phone, some Covid-19 patients lodged at corona care centres said this revised discharge policy has caused lots of concern.
“I have been sent back home after ten days at the corona care centre but my family members are worried about me being spreader of Covid-19 to them,” a woman said.
Another ‘recovered’ patient said that release from corona care centre without RT-PCR test is not at all justified.
“At least the RT-PCR test should have been conducted to confirm that I no longer have Covid-19 and also to ensure that I pose no health risk to my family members,” he said.
However, Health Department officials said the revised discharge policy for Covid-19 was implemented in the State as per the guidelines of the Union Health Ministry.
As per the Union Health Ministry, mild/very mild/pre-symptomatic cases admitted to a Covid care facility will undergo regular temperature and pulse oximetry monitoring. The patient can be discharged after ten days of symptom onset and no fever for three days in such cases. There will be no need for testing prior to discharge.
At the time of discharge, the patient will be advised to follow the home isolation for further seven days.
Cases which are clinically classified as “moderate cases” will undergo monitoring of body temperature and oxygen saturation.
If the fever resolves within three days in moderate cases and the patient maintains saturation above 95 per cent for the next four days (without oxygen support), such patient will be discharged after ten days of symptom onset in case of absence of fever without antipyretics, resolution of breathlessness and no oxygen requirement, it mentioned.
Patients on oxygenation whose fever does not resolve within three days and demand of oxygen therapy continue, such patients will be discharged only after resolution of clinical symptoms and their ability to maintain oxygen saturation for three consecutive days
